The Romp Effect
by Arcman
Summary: During their travels in China, Ranma and Genma take a wrong turn and get lost... in time and space. Inspired by Seven Village Stomp by Xylix
1. Chapter 1

"Pop's, where the hell are we now?" Ranma Saotome asked his stupefied father as they both gazed around, shock evident on their faces.

"I…I don't know, boy." Genma Saotome admitted and pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Nothing happened.

The burly man frowned and rubbed his chin as he sat down on the rusted rooftop and considered a number of things.

They weren't in China anymore. That much was obvious.

Instead, they were in a seedy area, a city slum basically.

Only slums weren't made entirely of strange metal he'd never seen before. Nor would there be entire buildings floating in the sky, here and there, held aloft by some strange mechanism the Genma couldn't identify for the life of him.

_Could it be Magic? _He thought as he pondered on and on and shook his head. _Can't be magic, my senses aren't coming up with anything._

Genma glanced at his son and heir, busy taking in the foreign sights with wide eyes and looked down. There he observed beings he'd never encountered before. Blue skinned women with tentacles slicked back for hair chatting with avian humanoids with metallic skin in inhuman languages. Leaning against a nearby building, typing rapidly on an orange holographic interface surrounding its arm with three fingers was a tall, thin bipedal amphibian with a pair of horns growing out of its skull.

Genma blinked as he watched a floating jellyfish glowing vibrantly as it followed a noseless, earless elephant. In the dark alleyway below them a demon-like thing was fighting with a big-headed, four-eyed being in a contest of fists and losing with a giant walking lizard emitting what sounded like a guttural laugh.

There were a few humans here and there, wearing strange full-body clothing.

It gave him a small amount of comfort. Not much, but at this point he'll take anything that'll prevent him from freaking out infront of his son.

Genma couldn't have that. The boy will never let it go.

Oh, and everyone was packing strange looking guns. But he didn't pay any great amount of to those, only if they were aimed at him or Ranma. And that wouldn't happen.

Not yet anyways.

"Pop's, I don't think we're in China anymore." Ranma muttered, frowning.

Genma nodded in agreement and rose. Despite the boy's best attempts at hiding it he could easily see the nervousness leaking into the ponytailed teen's posture. He felt the same way, but Ranma hadn't spotted it yet.

Good.

Genma breathed in and steadied his racing heart. Calm descended upon the elder Saotome and he planted his hands hard upon his son's shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. "Are you afraid? It's alright if you are, I won't blame you for it, Ranma."

Ranma blinked after a few seconds of taking in what his father just said and took a step back, slapping away the hands that held him. "W-what, the hell!? No! Nonononono, _no way,_ Old Man, I'm not _afraid_of anything! And don't you say otherwise!" Ranma stomped forward as a bit of his bravado returned.

Genma snorted. "Are you sure?" He sniffed, loudly. "I saw differently, and smelt it too."

"Oh and I'm sure you're such a bundle of confidence too." Ranma sneered and crossed his arms.

"Hmm, if you're so sure, can you tell me then?" Genma asked as planted his hands on his hips and raised his chin as if he were regarding an inferior.

Ranma narrowed his eyes. "I don't have to sense it to know it."

"I'm sure you do, boy. I'm sure you do." Genma muttered as he took another glance at the alien streets below and the skyless scenery above, covered by some sort of dome. He picked up the bark of guns with his keen ears here and there and the screams and shouts that accomplice them. The place reeked of blood and filth, both old and new.

Genma spotted a few inhabitants looking at them from below, assessing them with familiar looking eyes. Despite being of completely different races, despite having never encountered them before, despite everything else, he could easily tell that they all wished harm on him and Ranma.

Scum, that's what he was dealing with. Robbers, con-artists, psychopaths, murderers, etc. the dredges of society.

The burly man shrugged.

It's their funeral.

"I think, we shouldn't have pissed off those Chinese gypsies we encountered a few nights ago." Ranma muttered angrily and kicked the rooftop, denting it slightly.

Genma snorted. "Those idiots tried to rob us! They deserved what was coming to them!"

"You burned down their camp and pillaged nearly everything of value!" The teenaged martial artist stated, gritting his teeth.

"By accident, it wasn't my fault that they can't aim for shit with their fireballs." Genma shook his head and sighed. "I just took advantage of the situation, and we needed the cash too."

A vein on Ranma's forehead throbbed. "And it got us here! Wherever here is!" He scowled at his father as his hand tightened into a fist shaking with anger.

"Boy, let's just think of this as a new experience and adapt. Strange things have always happened to us, this is just one of them. Take it as it is and try not to think too hard on it, it'll lead you nowhere." Genma advised. "We'll be back in no time and then it's off to Jusenkyo for us."

Ranma raised his fist and let it go after a long, tense second. Genma pushed up his glasses and smiled. "We'll fight later."

"And I'll give you a thrashing you deserve, and then some." Ranma promised as he walked over to the ledge, hefting his camping pack over a shoulder. He glanced at his father and motioned him to come with his head. "Let's find out where we are and get out of here."

"Where should we start then?" Genma asked as he stood to the side.

Ranma pointed in the far off distance where a large line of people were waiting to go inside what looked to be a nightclub with loud, thumping music beating in the background.

"Think they'll let us in?"

"Boy, no one can resist the Saotome charm." Genma stated as he pulled out a pair of high-class suits from the robes of his white gi and offered one to Ranma.

The raven-haired teen chuckled and pushed away the suit for him. "I don't think these… people will appreciate your fine tastes, Good Sir."

Genma tugged at suit her was wearing, having changed in a blink of an eye and shook his head. "Then we'll teach them the meaning of class. It's our duty as martial artists and as gentleman!" He shouted, pointing a finger at the air dramatically and hopped down.

Ranma rolled his eyes as Genma strode confidently towards the nightclub. Many eyes kept track of him, dangerous eyes.

The ponytailed teen groaned and hopped down.

This is won't end well.

It never ends well.

"Pop's, we're on a space station." Ranma repeated once more as he stared blankly into the infinite void that was space.

"Yes, yes we are." Genma answered again, a similar expression crossing his face as he traced circles on the thick glass window. He still couldn't believe it, even with proof right infront of his eyes.

They were in space!

**_SPACEEEE!_**

Genma swallowed.

"Pop's, we're on a space station." Ranma repeated again.

"Yes, yes we are."

Ranma slowly tilted his head to his father and stared at him with wide eyes and a paling face. "W-where, w-what, t-t-t-t-t-t-the," The ponytailed teen stuttered, his mouth a mess of scrambled movements.

Genma Saotome slapped his son in the face.

Ranma froze, blinking and slowly rubbed his bruising cheek after a few seconds.

He didn't utter a single word.

No replies, no shouts, not even a retort.

Ranma still shocked by everything looked at the old man once and then turned to face the window again.

Genma shook his head and grasped the teenaged martial artist's shoulders with both hands and spun him around. The Saotome Elder looked at his son, straight in his blank, disbelief eyes and said.

"Boy now's not the time to panic. It'll do no good and only cause us problems. And problems will only make things worse. We can't have that." Genma smiled and ruffled Ranma's hair. "You're a man, get your stuff together and act like one."

Ranma swallowed and nodded after a second of hesitation. Out of the corner of his eye he could see an actual space ship streaking by as it docked to the space station they were in. The site never grew old, despite seeing it happen for over an hour after they arrived here in one of the observational platforms.

They were just looking around when they stumbled onto it after a small scuffle over at the nightclub.

It took their breath away and dispelled the dim hopes of being somewhere familiar.

They were in space, on a space station, with honest to god aliens.

"Old man, do you have any clue how we got here?" Ranma asked after another minute of staring into the void.

Genma rubbed his chin as the gears in his head turned.

…

He came to one conclusion.

"Look, I'm not saying it was aliens."

Ranma raised an eyebrow.

"But I'm pretty sure it was aliens." Genma crossed his arms and nodded, "Chinese aliens to be exact."

"…" Ranma stared at his father long and hard, "Chinese aliens?"

"Definitely, there can be no other explanation. You know it to be true, just look in your heart."

"…I think I'll use my brain instead." Ranma replied dryly and rolled his eyes. "How can they even be Chinese? They! Are! **_Aliens!"_**

Genma shook his head sadly, tsking. "My boy, don't you know? The Chinese have one of everything, even aliens."

"Uh huh, I'm sure they do." Ranma muttered as he pulled on his ponytail, cursing silently at his old man's stupidity.

"You haven't seen what I've seen, you're still so young." Genma clutched his chest and closed his eyes. "It pains me to see such ignorance in today's youth."

"The only one ignorant here is you." Ranma snapped back, quenching the urge beat some sense into Genma. "We can't blame everything on the Chinese."

The burly man frowned as he considered this. "And why not?"

Ranma answered in a slow and clear voice. "Because, it's bad and isn't true?"

"Experience tells me otherwise." Genma answered after a second of heavy thinking.

"And those would b-"

Genma silenced his son a raised hand and jerked a thumb behind him. Ranma leaned over and looked at the closed door as his sharp ears picked up the rush of footsteps echoing the metallic floor. He counted a dozen separate footsteps in all, and all were out for blood.

Their blood and they'll be here in a two or three minutes.

His eyebrow twitched as the raven haired teen glanced at his father, busy pulling out a nunchuck out of his suit and back at the door. "Think it's those aliens from the nightclub?"

Genma snorted. "Who else could it be?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have shattered that four- eyed aliens arm."

"Maybe he shouldn't have pulled a gun on me."

"Maybe you shouldn't have shoved him out line."

"Maybe he shouldn't have been infront me!"

Ranma rolled his eyes and didn't reply.

"Do you want a weapon?" Genma said as he gave the nunchuck a few test spins. "They have guns, you know."

"Oh wow, _guns_. I'm shaking in my boots." Ranma snorted. "But, I'll take the Bo staff."

"You want to use it here? This hallway's is pretty cramped."

"I didn't notice that. Not one bit. Thank you for that, Father." Ranma answered with a straight, smiling face as he caught the staff without batting an eye.

Genma sighed. "Right… ambush then?

"Ambush," Ranma grinned.

Naritsugu wasn't a good man.

Not after living on Omega for the past few years. He came here from Earth to start fresh, to be his own man and away from his parents, who constantly pressured him to be great, to be famous.

And he just couldn't take it anymore.

It was too much.

_No, no it wasn't. _Naritsugu thought as he shook his head. _Not compared to Omega._

"Hurry up, let's get this over with!" The Krogan up ahead bellowed as he pumped his Scimitar shotgun and charged ahead of the group.

There were about a dozen mercenaries here including Naritsugu. All hired to take out a pair humans who managed to acquire the ire of some rich Batarian slob. He didn't pay attention to the details only that he was offering a sizable amount of credits for them, dead or alive.

They managed to track them down to observational decks over the course of an hour from tips given through beatings or under the barrel of a gun.

And now those idiots are going to get it.

They all dashed out of an alley into a broad road lined with storehouses that had seen better days. They were getting close. This was where the pair was last sighted only minutes ago.

"This is overkill. A dozen armed men against two people." A Turian muttered behind him as the mercenary group fanned out in pairs and searched the buildings one by one.

"Easy credits, don't complain" Naritsugu smiled, drawing his Edge pistol and went for an unsearched building. The Turian followed, drawing an Avenger assault rifle.

They quickly went room to room, the Human and Turian each covering the others back as they searched for their targets.

And they found nothing as did the other teams when they regrouped at the road.

But other than them, only four other teams returned.

They waited.

"Nothing," The Krogan grumbled after a few minutes of waiting. "Something happened to them." He grinned. "I guess they are here. Where did they last check?"

A Salarian pointed to a far off building to the left. The Krogan grunted and ran towards it, holding his shotgun with one hand as the other group members followed, covering him as they aimed their weapons at the other buildings and alleys.

Naritsugu shivered and not from the cold damp air. He was sure something was watching them, waiting for the chance to strike. Yet he couldn't spot anything and neither could anyone else.

They only saw shadows and heard only the echoes of their actions.

It unnerved them all, this haunting silence.

Omega was never this quiet.

Only the Krogan was unaffected as he, Naritsugu and four others went to search the building with four merc's posted outside to watch the entrance.

Four harden men, armed to the teeth.

They vanished without a sound and left two broken bodies in their place as everyone returned after a fruitless search.

It was the previous team and it was all Naritsugu could do not to lose his lunch.

One of them, a Batarian, unconscious with a puddle of blood oozing out of his mess of a face. His hands were mangled and broken beyond recognition. They looked like little more than raw chunks of meat with bone sticking out. His weapon an executioner shotgun was torn in two and laid right next to him.

He was the normal one.

The other…

Oh god, the other.

Naritsugu had to pinch himself to make sure it was real.

There, lying infront of them was an unconscious human, the other missing merc.

He was perfectly fine on all accounts.

Only his body was twisted impossibly to the shape of a pretzel.

And he was still alive, screaming at them with a mouth that uttered no sound.

Someone emptied out their lunch behind him.

"Spirits, what are dealing with?" The Turian breathed mandibles and eyes wide. Naritsugu could only nod in agreement.

The Krogan, he only grinned harder. Growling, he pumped his shotgun again and stalked into the streets beating his chest with his free hand. "I know you're out there! Fight me! Face me, cowards! Come out from the shadows and show me your mettle!"

His challenge was met with a roaring laugh that seemingly echoed all around them. Guns where aimed at all corners, at all shadows, at all rooftops, everywhere they could see as their owners tried to identify the source.

They came up with nothing as silence once again reigned throughout the street.

Naritsugu's heart nearly tore out of his chest with its ever-increasing tempo. Sweat rolled down his brow and stung at his eyes. He wiped it with a shaky hand as he eyed everything with suspicion. The Mercenary felt what's left of the group doing the same.

"This is out of our league! We leave and get reinforcements!" The Salarian whispered angrily at the Krogan.

"What about the others?" Naritsugu quietly asked.

"Gone, screw them. They're dead." The Salarian answered and eyed the human pretzel and shuddered. "Possibly worse, it's best to save ourselves."

The Turian whirled on the Salarian. "No way, we're not leaving. My buddy was taken by those…"

"Humans, our employer said they were humans." The Salarian finished.

"Humans don't turn other humans into pretzel." Naritsugu added grimly.

"No one's leaving, we finish the job." The Krogan answered with finality and chuckled. "This is getting to be fun."

"For us," Two voices, their targets spoke at once. Each voice echoing the opposing sides of the road.

Guns were pointed at each side and found nothing but shadows.

They stayed like that for what seemed to be hours in Naritsugu mind. Exhaustion crept upon him. It was the tension! It at them all, gnawing at their focus and will.

And it was too much for one, a human, Jake -Naritsugu recalled- broke and ran down the street.

"Get back here!" The Krogan screamed, threating the deserter with his shotgun.

Jake didn't answer and sprinted full tilt avoiding the shadows and alleyways, staying in only the lit areas.

It didn't help him.

Before he could make fifteen meters a black blur intercepted Jake, materializing out of the shadows and smacked him with something. Naritsugu couldn't see it. It was that fast. So fast that it triggered Jake's barriers and shattered them in one blow. Another smacked Jack in the head and the other sent him soaring back to wince he came.

By the time everyone responded it was too late, the blur vanished just as quickly as it appeared.

Jake's unconscious crashed into Naritsugu, spilling blood and broken teeth all over the mercenary. He scrambled back, biting back a scream as he dropped his pistol and muttered gibberish as all blood left his face.

He looked up as another body; a Batarian crashed into the Salarian and bowled him over. And another, and another, and one more, till the previous team was all accounted for. The bodies were just like the Batarian from the first team, broken and bleeding but still alive.  
_Why are they still alive?_ Naritsugu thought._ Why? Do they like seeing people suffer? _

If it wasn't for the Krogan, ready his shotgun to rip apart anyone who ran. Naritsugu would have done that right then and there as would everyone else. Except for the Turian, who shimmered with rage as the former solider found his friend, another Turian.

"…D-d-d-did you see how fast that thing moved!?" The Salarian all but screamed, pointing a shaky pistol at the shadows, every shadow.

"_Yes_, I did." The Krogran grinned. "We're going after it, _now!_"

"You're crazy, you're going to get slaughtered you brute! We should get out of here now while we still have some smil-"

The Krogan whacked the Salarian with the butt of his shotgun, cracking his skull and sent him to an early grave. Blood, bone, and brain drooled over the road.

Everyone stared at the senseless murder before them.

_Everyone._

"Why?" Naritsugu breathed.

The Krogan spat. "Didn't mean too, might have misjudged my strength," he shrugged. "Oh-"

The blurs descended upon them at that moment. No, _appeared _in their midst, attacking before anyone realized what was going on. Bodies flew and not under their own power. What was left of the band of mercenaries was barely given time to scream before they crashed into nearby buildings, knocked senselessly by blows too fast for the mortal eye to see.

Naritsugu coughed, spitting blood as stars danced around head. He swam in and out of conscious and shook his head. The stars barely cleared, but he could see and the sight before his eyes was one that would never leave him for as long as he lived.

Krogans were said to be one of the strongest, toughest races in the galaxy. Pound for pound, body to body no other race could handle them with physical might.

Only another Krogan could.

And there, infront of him was a human, a Japanese teenager dressed in clothes that hadn't been in style for centuries. He overtook the Krogan in a contest of physical strength. Their hands were locked together and he was forcing stupid lizard to his knees with a cold grin. The Krogan slammed his face forward in a head-butt and was met by one from his foe.

The Krogan fell, unconscious, his bone plate cracked under the force of the teenager's skull. He lifted the reptilian's body with casual, despite it weighing close to a ton and threw it off into the distance and smirked.

"Did you have your fun, boy?" A burly man in a suit strode into view, cleaning a bloodied nunchuck of all things with a white rag.

He snorted. "What'd you think old man?"

Naritsugu blinked and move, to crawl, to get away. But his traitorous body wouldn't respond to his calls. He growled in frustration and-

"Oh? Someone's still up."

His heart stilled.

The burly clad man walked towards Naritsugu. The man's powerful muscles rippled underneath his suit as knelt infront of the mercenary and smiled. "Can you understand me?"

"Y-yes," Naritsugu coughed.

"Good, now we're a bit lost here and we need some questions answered. Can you do that?"

Naritsugu nodded, swallowing.

Genma Saotome clapped his hands, "Wonderful, let's get started and don't try lying to me. It won't end well."

"The future, we're in the future." Genma said his heart burdened with a mounting despair.

"Ya, I'll believe it when I see it." Ranma muttered, scowling at everyone and everything from on top the rooftop they were in.

"That man was telling the truth, you know, I know." Genma snorted though it came out as more of a weak chuckle.

"We might have knocked him around too much. We did go a bit overbroad…" Ranma said, staring at his father straight in the eye.

"We did, I admit, we did." Genma agreed, scratching the back of his neck. "But they were aliens. Who knows what they could do!?"

"And they were weak aliens at that, even the giant lizard dude." Ranma interjected, sighing. "I'd thought they'd be more like…"

Genma crossed his arms, "Saiyans?"

"Ya, like that." Ranma pulled out a pistol he looted from the mercenary the interrogated and gave it a critical eye. "And they use bullets too."

"Small ones at that, and they're pretty fast. I could barely see them in flight." Genma admitted as he pulled out a shotgun from out of nowhere in particular.

"I wish I could."

"What was that, boy?" Genma blinked, turning towards his son.

"Nothing, pop's," Ranma sighed and tilted his head. "You know, I'd thought they'd be using plasma weapons or lasers and powered armor like the military uses."

Genma shrugged. "Maybe they're cheap? The guy did say that these guns technically had infinite ammo. "

"I don't know they had personal shields." Ranma rubbed his chin and glanced at his father. "Those sort things are reserved for the military's best."

"But these ones are weak. We shattered them with barely any effort at all."

"Still, it was a surprise that they had them in the first place." Ranma looked at the pistol again and frowned. "We're not going to sell them right?"  
"No, of course not, these are guns." Genma shook his head. "You know better, boy. We don't peddle with things that do other harm. Destroy them."

Ranma nodded as he gripped the pistol with his other hand, tearing it in two and tossed the ruined halves down the street like trash.

Genma did the same with his shotgun and shoved his hands in his suits pockets. "Well, what should we do now?"

"We need to get of this space station, Omega and back to Earth."

The burly man rolled his eyes. "Of course we will but we need transportation first."

"We could sneak into one." Ranma suggested.

Genma shook his head. "I thought of that but it might be best if we do things legally in this case."

"I don't think they'll accept what we're carrying. We need new cash… no, credits and some way to understand what these aliens and most humans are saying."

Genma snapped his fingers, smiling, "Universal translators! We need one of those."

"Of course, but again, we need credits."

"We could try exchanging our Yen notes here for that electronic stuff." Genma suggested. Both Saotome's were a bit miffed when they found out about that particular brand of stuff.

Ranma slowly looked around Omega's scenery. "Considering the type of place we're at I… doubt anyone here would accept our stuff. We need to go somewhere a bit more respectable first."

Genma frowned. "What then?

"I don't… pit fights?"

"Sure, why not."

"Vido, are you still not believing what you see?" Zaeed Massani asked, leaning forward from his seat and watching the impossible spectacle before him.

"…Yes." Vido Santiago swallowed. "Yes, I am and I still can't believe it what I'm seeing."

"Same here, but this kid here is doing the impossible!" The Blue Sun's co-founder exclaimed as he watched said kid fighting off a trio of enraged Krogans in Omega's and winning. The ponytailed teen was even yawning, evidently bored despite the odds stacked against him.

The crowd loved every second of it as they whooped and cheered for the boy, Ranma, Zaeed recalled. And Ranma loved their attention in turn as he showboated and played his opponents like a fiddle.

The cheers nearly deafened Zaeed's ears as Ranma sent one Krogan flying with a shoulder to the gut and another with a kick to the chest. The last one only barely managed to realize his comrade's fate before he found his legs taken out from under him with a leg sweep. As the Krogan hanged mid-air Ranma grasped his legs and started to spin like a wild top.

After several furious seconds Ranma let go and sent the Krogan flying and crashed into his allies just as they were rising. The lizard barfed out whatever crap Krogans ate a soon after.

Ranma still spun, slower and slower till he came to a halt. His eyes bounced around his head as he stumbled like a drunk. He shook it off by slapping himself and grinned as he saw his handy work.

"Boy! Just finish them off already!" A voice bellowed throughout the lower stands, drowning out all other sounds.

Zaeed looked down and saw a bald, burly man dressed in one of those old martial arts gi's rubbing his forehead and muttering something under his breath. Rubbing his chin, the Mercenary Commander tapped Vido's chest and pointed at the man below. "I have a gut feeling that he's the kid's father."

"Likely," Vido agreed and leaned forward, glancing at Zaeed. "You think he's just like the kid, Ranma?"

"Defiantly, likely better than him too," Zaeed crossed his arms and turned his attention back to the arena fight.

Ranma whipped the sweat off his brow, leaning against the chain linked cage that encased the arena. He sighed as he waited for the trio of Krogans to finish recovering. Despite the pounding the Krogans were taking they were all grinning madly as they rushed at the invincible human before them.

"Do you think he's using biotics to do what he's doing?"

Zaeed shook his head. "I've seen and fought my fair share of biotic users and whatever that kid's doing… it isn't biotics. For one, he's not glowing like all biotics do when they use their powers and two he's not using any of their powers at all. What he's doing is beating around Krogan like rag dolls with impossible speed, strength and skill."

"Is he even human then?" Vido asked, staring with wide eyes as Ranma vanished in a blur and reappeared in the midst of the Krogan trio and took them apart piece by piece.

"Have you ever heard of the term superhuman?" Zaaed asked over the sound bone breaking and the screams that accompanied them.

"…Yes, of course I have. Who hasn't?" Vido muttered and shook his head. "If these people are superhuman then where have they been right now? Why hasn't anyone heard of them?"

The ground shook, interrupting Zaeed's reply as Ranma performed a piledriver of all things the last Krogan. The giant lizards bone plate that covered the top of his head cracked, earning winces from all the other Krogan cheerfully waiting in line to fight the Ponytailed teenager.

"I have no clue, but the scene that their making here is bound to get out if it hasn't already." Zaeed said and glanced at the other, notable spectators watching Ranma intently. "I see one of Aria's lieutenants watching even now and some of the local heads of the other major merc secs here."

Vido nodded, "And likely others too. I think every Krogan from the Blood Pack is here waiting for a chance to fight, Ranma."

"How long has he been fighting anyways?"

"Before we got here, an hour at least, nearly non-stop."

"And how long has it been since then?"

"Nearly two," Zaeed answered.

"You know, we did come here personally to recruit new blood and set up shop." Vido rubbed his chin. "And they might help getting out of here when this is done. People will be gunning for them."

"It'll be a shame if they die." Zaeed said, grinning.

"Yes, yes it will." Vido shook his head. "Did you get the father's name by any chance?"

"I think his name's Genma."

Vido rose, dusting himself off. "How should we do this?"

"Easy, like always, you pitch and I guard." Zaeed answered and chuckled grimly. "Just try not to get dad there angry. I can't protect you from him or the kid."

Vido glanced at Ranma as he toyed with another wave of Blood Pack Krogan, half a dozen this time and at his father, Genma who sat there, examining a credit chit with a curious expression.

He wasn't even paying attention to his son's fight.

Vido winced. "Ya, I'll try not to."


	2. Chapter 2

Genma Saotome raised an eyebrow as he glanced over a shoulder at two approaching figures and their guards, four in all, who followed them closely. All were lightly armed with pistols strapped to their blue armor as anything heavier wasn't allowed in the arena. And all their armor was marked on their chest and shoulders with a white oval and white circle within it, right near the top ring.

The two figures who Genma guessed as the leaders from judging the higher quality of their equipment. They came marching down the stairs purpose and a clear destination in mind. Right to him

Genma shrugged and watched Ranma as he performed extravagant aerobatic maneuvers that had no real purpose other than enticing the ever-growing crowd into giving him more attention. And they did and Ranma loved every second of it.

The elder Saotome shook his head. The boy wasn't even fighting anymore, just fooling around. Well… he didn't need to anyways. They've already gotten their credits. Genma wasn't sure how much five thousand would buy, but it should be a enough to get them a trip out of here.

"Hopefully," Genma muttered as he looked to the side and watched as the two figures from before enter his row and strode over. People, humans and aliens scattered and scrambled out of their way. He wasn't worried. He didn't detected any hostile intentions from them. They just wanted to talk.

"And you are?" Genma asked dark-skinned man as said man took a seat next to him. His partner, a white man just past his prime took to the upper row and stood guard. The other four guards spread themselves to flank the sides and the bottom row.

The dark-skinned man gave his name and affiliation… in English.

Genma cursed within his mind and wished that he'd pay more attention in his old English classes. He managed to pick up his name at least, Vido Santiago and something about Blue Suns.

If he had to guess the Blue Suns would be the name of whatever group they belong too. It was apparent on their armor and what little skin they showed as Genma could spot tattoos of a blue sun near their necks.

_A gang then or are they mercenaries? _Genma thought and held back a frown. _This is going to be awkward… I need those universal translators._

"Do you speak Japanese?" Genma asked in a serious tone, crossing his arms as he stared at Vido straight in the eyes.

He blinked as did his partner and the guards.

Vido frowned and opened his mouth to reply but was silenced by a hand.

"Zaeed?"

"I've got this," Zaeed replied in accented Japanese, spoken in a way only someone from Australia would. Genma stared at the Australian, nearly swallowing before he caught himself and blinked. He quickly extended his senses around the entire arena. They came back with nothing.

There were no cyber-kangaroo's lurking in the shadows, ready to strike at him with jet fists and power feet.

Genma smiled. Those things are a pain in the ass to deal with and Zaeed didn't look like a typical Australian. He didn't pack nowhere near the muscular bulk they had or the cybernetics or their weaponry or even their presence. He shouldn't be worried. He wasn't dealing with an Australian Plasma Commando.

Thank you, Lady Luck.

"You don't have anything that translates languages?" Zaeed asked.

Genma shook his head.

"Not even an Omnitool?"

Again, he shook his head.

Zaeed tilted his head. "How the hell did you even get on Omega anyhow? Or even space for that matter? Everyone uses a translation chip here."

Genma frowned and glanced at Ranma again. This time he was giving the giant lizards… Krogans, he recalled, a handshake and waved at them as they left the arena, defeated but happy as the next set entered in with maddening grins.

_These Krogan are defiantly masochists. _Genma thought, sighing. _Why else would throw fight Ranma, if only to get their asses kicked. _He shrugged. _More credits for us._

The burly man looked back at Zaeed. "We got here through a series of… _strange _circumstances."

"Oh? That I'd like to hear," Zaeed chuckled. "I'm always one for stories."

"You wouldn't believe it." Genma answered.

"Try me."

"What do you two want with me and my boy?" Genma asked, changing the subject.

Zaeed frowned but didn't press on. He glanced at Vido, who nodded.

"Right, I'm Zaeed Massani of Commander and co-founder of the Blue Suns, a private security organization." He pointed a thumb to his chest and jerked it to his partner. "And this here is Vido Santiago, my partner in all things and the man in charge of our finances and general recruitment."

Genma raised an eyebrow, "Mercenaries then?"

Zaeed snorted. "We're better than those pieces of trash."

"And you're looking to hire me and Ranma." Genma narrowed his eyes as the pieces came together. "Why?"

"Why not?" Zaeed pointed to Ranma, busy fighting off another Krogan and his pack of dog-like lizards. "Just look at him! He's a monster!"

Genma shrugged. "He could do better, he's just horsing around."

"I can tell and I can tell that you're in need of help." Zaeed said, sitting right next to Genma. "You look lost, and we can help." He looked around the stadium and gestured the Elder Saotome to do the same. "You're making a name for yourself here. You won't be left alone, not if Omega's inhabitants can help it." The aged commander pointed to the horde of Krogan waiting around the arena cage. "See? It's already happening."

Zaeed ran his hand through his short hair. "Ranma's gotten every Krogan riled up in this district and possibly the others. They all want a piece of your boy, and they'll keep at it even after you leave."

"And you think you and your men can hold this horde if we decided to stick with you?" Genma countered.

Zaeed pulled out a knife, examining it idly as he smiled maliciously. "I know a few ways to break a bunch of Krogan."

"And I wonder what they are." Genma muttered as rubbed his forehead and considered everything that has happened to him and Ranma and what might be in their future.

It didn't look good.

"Maybe we can exchange stories then, over a few drinks?" Zaeed offered.

"…Maybe"

"Do you even have a place to stay?"

"…" Genma stared hard at the floor.

"I thought so." Zaeed leaned over and asked Vido a few questions. Genma ignored it as thousands of thoughts circled his head. Ideas and guesses and future actions, he processed it all in a split second and frowned.

He and Ranma will need help, at least till they get back to Earth and then to their time. There's bound to be some magical artifact that'll do just that. And if worse comes to worse, they'll go to Germany and deal with those crazy scientists to construct them some technological wonder that'll take them through time and back… To the past!

Genma nodded to himself and smiled. He rose and looked at Zaeed. "I'm considering it but I to talk to Ranma about it. Can you give us a temporary place to stay for now?"

"We can make a few arrangements." Zaeed and Vido said at the same time and looked at each other.

"Hmm," Genma nodded again, "Ranma!" He shouted, earning an annoyed look from Ranma as he ducked underneath a Krogan clothesline. "We're done here! Finish up!"

Ranma sighed. "…Fine"

It took a few minutes, and only because the ponytailed teen spent that time thanking the Krogan horde for everything the fun they provided after his final fight. Ranma leapt out of the arena in a single bound and on to the stands, denting the metal below his feet and walked towards Genma, wiping the sweat off his brow.

"Tired?" Genma asked, wrapping an arm around Ranma's shoulders.

"No thanks to you." Ranma muttered. "I thought I was going to fight there forever, you know that!"

Genma snorted. "Someone had to keep an eye out and make the bets."

"And sit on their fat ass and talk all day."

The elder Saotome reeled back as if struck and scowled. "Boy, you know I'm not fat. I'm…"

"Pure muscle and big boned." Ranma finished. "I know, I know."

"Evidently you don't, shall I give you a good thrashing to remind you of that?"

Ranma raised an eyebrow, "as I am right now, tired, sweating and hungry?"

"Anything-Goes, boy. Anything-Goes. Remember that." Genma chided.

Ranma didn't replay and looked Zaeed and Vido over. "And these two are…"

"The men who will provide us with our rooms tonight," Genma answered.

"Going to tell me about it?"

"Of course, I will! You think I'd keep secrets away from you!?"

"_Yes._"

"Do you have any faith in your father?"

"_No._"

Genma sniffed and turned to a Zaeed and Vido, both staring at their antics with amused and surprised expressions. "Let's get going."

* * *

Ranma Saotome lazed on the soft couch a data pad held idly in one hand, the other holding apple fresh from the fridge. He munched on it, swallowing as he finished reading the page he was on and tapped the key on the screen to go to the next. A steady stream of cool air hit him from the vent above and his nose wrinkled as he caught the scent of whatever concoction Genma was cooking up for dinner.

"Tell me son, what do you think of biotics?" Genma asked from behind the kitchen counter. Ranma leaned his head over the couches shoulder and watch his father flip a piece of meat off a pan and catching it on its raw side. It sizzled and from its smell alone he knew that it wasn't any meat he'd ever tasted before.

"Ya sure, but first…just what are you cooking?" Ranma asked, eyebrow raised and set the data pad close to his chest.

"Varren," Genma answered, "they didn't have anything else in the fridge."

"Those lizard-dog things, right?"

"Hmm, I think it'll be good." Genma raised his chin, scratching it. "It can't be worse than the time we tried cooking that giant frost spider."

"Only because we were stuck Himalayan tombs for a week with nothing else to eat." Ranma turned back to the data pad and sighed. "But on the biotics thing, I think it's pretty neat. Think we use their techniques?"

"A few of them," Genma answered as he walked around the kitchen corner, holding a cooked steak atop a china plate. He sat on the other end of the couch and set his plate on the short oval table.

Ranma's stomach grumbled as he stared at the plate and licked his lips, "which ones?"

"Barrier and throw," Genma counted off his fingers and flicked his free hand. A pair of chopsticks shot in-between his fingers and he picked up the steak by the bone, eyeing it wearily, as if it would attack him.

Again, Ranma's stomach protested its hunger and he silenced it by finishing his apple, core and all with two bites. He swallowed. "Just those two?"

"For now, till we see the other powers in action. Videos are good but I want to see the real thing before we attempt anything else." Genma took a bite out of the steal and rolled the meat in his mouth as he chewed.

Ranma sat up, still hungry. "Is the steak any good?"

"It's okay, better than I expected." Genma admitted and took another bite.

"Huh, hmm," Ranma glanced at the data pad, revealing a list of known biotic powers. "Think we're going to encounter any biotics here?"

"We've already seen a few already. Do you remember those Asari we kept seeing?"

"The blue chicks with tentacle hair? They're all biotics right?"

"Those who train in, but yes all Asari can potentially be biotics. You've read the Codex on them right?" Genma pointed at Ranma's data pad with his chopsticks and a half eaten steak.

"I've been reading, and memorizing it since I woke up today. And I still haven't reached half of what's in there." Ranma sighed. "You?"

"I went through most of it last night." Genma gulped another piece of steak and flushed it in with a swig from a canteen that popped into his hand. He wiped his mouth and stared at the table, muttering, "Couldn't sleep, too much to think about."

"Thinking about Earth?"

"Of course, I am. You should too."

_And I am, and it might not be our Earth. The histories don't match up. At all!_ Ranma thought and saw Genma's sour expression and past it. He knew that his father was thinking along the same lines as him. The Old man was always easy to read, he sucked at hiding whatever he had in mind.

"Are we going back anytime soon?" Ranma spoke up as he watched Genma devour the last of the steak right to the bone and then the bone itself.

"After a job with the Blue Suns later on tonight," Genma smiled, leaning against the couch as he pat his stomach and let out a loud burp. Ranma waved the away his foul breath before it could reach his nose.

"What is it again?"

"We're acting as bodyguards for a female Quarian."

Ranma tapped a number of keys on his data pad till he reached a page detailing the Quarians and their basic history, "how long?" He asked, scrolling down as he quickly read the page.

Genma shrugged. "Till she's done doing whatever she's doing on Omega."

"Did you get her name?"

"Daro'Xen Nar..." Genma paused, tilting head back and forth and bit his lip as he stopped. He raised a finger. "Let's just call her Xen."

"You can't remember her last name?"

"It's not important." He answered, waving it off as if it were true.

Ranma snorted. "Right, I'm sure it is… is it just us?"

Genma pulled out his own data pad from the robes of his Gi and pushed up his glasses as he gave it a quick look over. "Apparently, but between us nothing will happen to her!" He pumped a proud fist in the air.

Ranma just pinched the bridge of his nose and mentally prepared for the inevitable train wreck to come.

* * *

Ranma Saotome strode down the red-lit stairs with his father and onto Omega's market place as the door slid open. It looked and sounded more like a seedy bazaar of old than futuristic market he envisioned. Ranma spotted hundreds of humans and aliens doing business, both legal and illegal. They bought and bargained and bribed inside stores and outside stands for guns, ammo, illicit drugs, toys, materials, etc., everything a denizen of Omega could ever want. There were guards at every store, armed and armored with gear of varying quality, watching the masses with hawk-like eyes, ready to gun down those that dared steal from their pay masters.

And those that spotted them… did nothing and turn back to their business, dismissing them as minor threat.

"I think we've fooled them," Genma whispered, in a voice only Ranma could hear. He ran a hand through his smooth helmet clad head and looked around through its circular blue lens and HUD screen. Gone was the white gi Genma had worn for years and instead was a black and blue form fitting suit of light armor, painted with white to denote its affiliation with the Blue Suns.

Ranma grunted in agreement, wearing the same outfit his father was fit for his considerably smaller size. He rolled his shoulders as he followed Genma into the market place, eyes shifting from the map located at the top right corner of his vision, the bar detailing his shields below and his surroundings. They were armed. An Avenger assault was strapped to their backs, and an Edge pistol to their sides, both held in place with mag-locks. It wasn't out of choice, for show instead of form. The guns were sadly needed to complete the disguise.

"Wearing this helmet is a pain in the neck, literally." Ranma complained in the same quiet voice Genma had used. He twisted his head side to side, rubbing neck as if there were an itch he couldn't scratch. "And my vision's shot to shit also. How the hell can people fight like this?"

"Boy, you've got to remember that unlike us," Genma pointed at a large gathering of humans and aliens, listening in on a preaching batarian atop storage crate, spewing hellfire, damnation, and the end of times. "They hadn't had the training we put ourselves through every day."

"I still wish we could have gone without these stupid things." Ranma muttered, scowling beneath said stupid helmet, feeling his hot breathing blast back at him. He needed air, and not the recycled or filtered kind. Even if he had to endure Omega's ever present wretched smells to get.

"And we'd be under scrutiny from all eyes. You know what we did back there." Genma hissed, tired of his son's constant complaining. The boy had been doing it ever since they suited up in the apartment half an hour ago.

Now, they were going to meet the Quarian, Daro'Xen who they were assigned to guard. She had stated the meeting to be at the market place, near a cybernetics store. The location was marked on their maps.

"We're close," Genma said, turning a corner and ascending a short series of steps. "How's your translator working out?"

"Still getting used to it, but ya its working fine. You, pops?" Ranma answered and took his father's side, lightly pushing aside the marketers who didn't step out of their way. One took offense, a stumbling human drunk who tried bashing his skull in with a bottle and… fell face first on the stairs as he completely missed.

"Same here and I think we have found our client." Genma smiled. He broke out into a soft run as he spotted Daro'Xen, leaning near the entrance to a store, it's bright collection of neon letters flashing out, 'Nova Mechanics'. Ranma stared at the Quarian for a brief second before taking off in his own run.

Xen was rapidly tapping the holographic keys on her omni-tool, muttering to herself softly. She looked like a human woman, and would if not for her three thick fingers and toes and her lower legs, bowed backwards considerably compared to humans or asari. The quarian was dressed in a black and white enviro-suit of high sophistication and quality. She looked up through her helmets large light-purple tinted visor and pushed herself off the wall, crossing her arms.

"I see you two have finally arrived." Xen spoke up as Ranma and Genma stood still, feet away. Her voice coming out in a through a filter through the bottom of her helmet, it flashed blue every time she spoke. "Now, let's get going, time is of the essence."

She stalked towards a set of stairs leading down at a brisk pace, beckoning the pair of Saotome's to follow with a finger. They caught up, flanking her sides as they all descended deeper into Omega.

"Care to tell us what we're doing other than guarding you?" Ranma asked as they entered into a wide dimly lit hallway. He spotted a trio of Vorcha huddling in the shadows around a burning bin in the distance and a batarian sleeping on a pile of trash to his side.

"It is need to know, and only to me." Xen answered, "Just keep an eye out for any threats, and link your comms to mine." She ordered. Ranma and Genma did so after following few instructions from her. "Report anything suspicious, and follow me."

Genma grunted again. Ranma rolled his eyes, "Yes, ma'am."

"And draw your weapons too. You're guards, be intimidating!" Xen shook her head as they all strode down the hallway.

"Yes, ma'am," Ranma dryly repeated as he pulled out his pistol. Genma took his assault rifle and held it close to his chest with both hands. In Ranma's eyes his father grew in size, looming menacingly over all before him as he caught the Old man's invisible aura chocking the air, weighing it down on all within range.

The trio of Vorcha scattered like flies as they passed. Xen looked back, stopping to stare at Genma. Her helmet might have hid most of her facial expressions from Ranma but he sensed her surprise mixed in with a hint of fear and… curiosity?

"Kelah," Xen breathed. "T-that is… you are," she swallowed and relaxed, if only by a tiny armound. "A very intimidating figure..." She played around with her hands nervously as she tried to recall his name.

"Genma." He answered in a low, beastly growl. Xen flinched and Ranma bit back the laughter bubbling inside him.

_This is hilarious, _Ranma thought, grinning and slapped a hand on Xen's shoulder. She jumped, whirling at the ponytailed teen and before she could say anything, Ranma jerked a thumb behind him. "We should be going, ma'am. You're in a hurry aren't you?"

Xen paused, blinking and nodded. "Y-yes, let's get going, can't be late." She moved ahead, quicker than before, nearly running. Ranma overhead her quiet whisper. "Keelah, I should have gone for the other set of guards. Why did I go these two? Oh wait, you wanted to be inconspicuous, only two. Not a whole host. Stupid, stupid…"

Ranma snickered silently as Xen continued to ramble to herself. He glanced at Genma, stoically pressing forward without word or emotion. The elder Saotome never let up his aura of terror, it cut into the hearts of all those they passed by and broke their wills, sending them fleeing into the non-existent hills. Ranma laughed in his mind every time it happened as they descended into a warehouse after half an hour of traveling.

Ranma spotted automated cranes hanging overhead and workers moving large crates of cargo scattered around the room from place to place under the watchful eyes of guards as they patrolled overhead on railings. All were Eclipse mercs, a mixture of asari, humans and salariens. They glared at them as they passed, fingers coiling around triggers. They didn't fire, and only watched with keen interest, wondering what a quarian and a pair of Blue Suns guards were doing in their territory.

"Is the meeting here?" Ranma whispered, walking up the ramp and into the maze of cargo.

"No, it's another warehouse over."

"Is there another way? We are passing into Eclipse territory, you do know that right?"

"No, I didn't but I'm sure you can handle them." Xen calmly answered despite her surprise. She strode with greater confidence as they neared their destination. She gripped the hilt of her pistol to her side as she spotted Eclipse mercs moving ahead of them.

Ranma cursed. "They're going to cut us off."

"Evidently," Xen agreed, breaking out into a run as did her guards.

"Is whatever you're getting worth all this trouble?" Ranma bit back another curse, and wondered what Genma was thinking. His father took everything in stride, as if he were expecting this sort of shit to happen.

"More than my life, it's for my pilgrimage and my research." Xen proudly said, sliding into cover behind a metal crate. Ranma came beside her and tensed. Infront of them were two dozen Eclipse mercs guarding the wide exit on the ground, under various pieces of cover. Four more were on the balconies, maneuvering to flank them. Ranma bit his lip and… blinked.

Where was Genma?

* * *

Three actions, all it took to deal with him, a human wearing yellow armor decorated with a black solar eclipse, the logo of the Eclipse mercenaries. They were mere thugs in Genma Saotome's mind as he came upon the Trooper from the apex of his leap.

One blurring fist to shatter the shields, a waste of energy, he could do the same with far less, but he left nothing to chance. The other to the back of his head, knocking the man senseless and out cold, this one had to be carefully measured. Genma might shatter his skull. The Trooper couldn't take a hit, he wasn't a martial artist and the situation didn't warrant his death. Finally, the last action, he crushed the assault rifle beneath his hands as Genma landed on the warehouse railings and dashed towards his next target.

The Eclipse Trooper only began to fall as Genma did the same to his partner, an asari, one of the Sisterhood Initiates wearing armor similar to the Trooper. The Elder Saotome moved, invisible to all eyes, even his son's as he seemingly teleported to the other side of the railings. He struck at the other two guards, they moved like slugs in his eyes. He took them out, six more actions, performed with cold, machine-like precision.

He needed no emotions, the Umisenken didn't allow for it. Briefly, Genma wondered why he was even using this. He didn't need it; he could do the same with just pure speed and skill.

So, why was he using it?

Could it be because of his worry, his haste to reach Earth? Is that why he brought out one of his stronger techniques, one that he, himself forbid from using? It was maddening and Genma quenched those thoughts and emotions as they threatened to break the Umisenken.

Genma sighed. Using the Umisenken always brought out his questioning nature. The technique clears the mind of all things, all conflicting thoughts and emotions. Many things became clearer to him and he wondered if that was a good thing or not.

Genma looked down and saw Ranma only just noticing his disappearance. Xen hadn't, he felt her nervousness and heard the beat of her racing heart. Was this her first time in combat? He wondered as he glanced at the other Eclipse mercs fifteen meters ahead. They hadn't notice their comrades fate, the unconscious bodies were still falling after all. Only half a second had passed since he came up here.

Hmm, I think I might need to teach Ranma a Ki attack after this, Genma thought, with a slight frown. His assortment of ranged attacks is severely lacking and he'll need one eventually, if not now had I not taken these thugs out. He crossed his arms and glanced at the Eclipse mercs again. Now, to help the boy or not… or scout up ahead, and see what's there.

Genma pondered on it for a long second and knew what to do.

He moved.

* * *

"Do you know where Genma is?" Daro'Xen asked, crouching behind the metal crate she was using for cover. Ranma raised his chin as he crouched, back against a crate a few feet to her side and hummed. Overhead a steady stream of gunfire, insults and challenges tore into their positions.

"_No,_" Ranma answered, "but I have a good guess that he took out the guards above us.

"If he did then why isn't he helping us?" Xen hissed, blind firing with her pistol atop the crate till it overheated. She drew back and scowled at her gun as it cooled down. Her eyes flicked over to Ranma again and her scowl deepened. "And why aren't you using your gun!? Do you hear all that gunfire!?"

"What's so funny? They're shooting at us, you bosh'tet!" Xen shouted. "Do something!"

Ranma gave his pistol an idle look and shrugged again. "To be honest I don't like guns, ma'am. Never used one in my whole life," he muttered, locking the pistol in place to his side.

For one very long second Xen stared hard at her guard and deemed to either be incredibly stupid or terribly insane. She decided that Ranma was both as he _took off_ his _helmet_ and ran a hand through his long black hair tied into a ponytail. He grinned and took in a deep breath though his nose, blowing it out as he calmly set his helmet on the floor.

"…" Xen had no words, only silence torn apart by the furious hammering of bullets. She realized that she was going to die here, forgotten, rotting in some dumpster unable to finish her life's work, her dream. And all she had to say to the bosh'tet at fault for this was, "…You do know you're just asking to catch a bullet." She calmly stated, as clarity dawned upon her.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about it. They'll never see me coming." Ranma smirked, twisting his neck and cracking his knuckles.

"I sincerely doubt that." Xen shook her head at the display of arrogant madness from the ponytailed teen. She wondered if some of it caught on to her, given that she was _talking _with this _bosh'tet_ instead of firing back.

Ranma snorted. "Just watch, blink and you might miss me."

"What ar-" Xen's reply was cutoff as Ranma vanished before her eyes and a strong wind buffeted her, from where he was a second ago. It sent her nearly sent her sliding out of cover. She scrambled back, rounds still streaking overhead.

"HERE'S RANMA!" Her guard screamed off in the distance and all fire was cut off abruptly. Their sounds were replaced with screams, shouts and the breaking of shields from the assembled Eclipse mercs.

Xen hesitantly poked her head above the crate and saw the afterimages of a blue blur tearing into her foes. A bullet smacked into her shields, and she threw herself back into cover. Her heart raced as she checked her shields, they were nearly down. Ten percent left.

"Keelah," Xen breathed and swallowed. As her shields fully recharged she nodded, swallowing again and leaned out of cover, pistol raised.

An obscured sight greeted her as she saw Ranma, taunting an Asari in tech armor with a hand gesture. The Vanguard was wreathed in purple flames, readying her biotics in contrast to Ranma, who emitted a warm bright blue aura. They circled each other, passing by the bodies of the other Eclipse mercs. Xen wasn't sure if they were dead or alive but they weren't moving. Likely the latter as she saw a few of them groan and cry in painful misery.

_I think, I'll just watch. _Xen thought.

* * *

"Who the hell are you, freak?" The Vanguard snapped, stabbing forward and unleashing a biotic throw.

"Haven't you got eyes in your head? I'm Ranma Saotome!" Ranma grinned as he skipped back. The purple fist sized projectile quickly followed after him. The ponytailed teen kicked off, dashing left. The projectile curved, homing in and Ranma raised an eyebrow in surprise. Again, he changed course, taking to the air and watched as the biotic ball of energy smack into a crate, sending it floating into the air.

Ranma whistled as he landed and ran at the Vanguard. He slid underneath another throw, missing him by inches and whipped out his pistol. Without looking back he threw it behind him, and heard a smack as the throw hit his pistol. Ranma smacked a hand on the ground, cracking it and pushed off into the air again, feet first, impacting the Vanguard's chest.

The concrete floor boomed as the reinforced shields shattered after a brief second of resistance and sent the Vanguard flying. She impacted the wall, denting it. Her helmet clad head smacked into it, and the asari felt her brain jumping around its case, knocking her senseless. As she slid to the floor, with stars and dark lights spinning in her eyes she felt a hand grasping around her throat.

"Is that it?" Ranma tilted his head, frowning. The Vanguard answered with bloodied wad of spit. Ranma whipped his face with a free hand and sighed, raising a fist. "…Have a nice night."

Genma Saotome rummaged through the contents within a black crate. He was in a control room of some sort, with camera detailing the firefight between Ranma, Xen and the Eclipse mercs in the warehouse next door. Behind him were the battered and bruised bodies of a groaning batarian and a pair of krogan bodyguards, both unconscious.

* * *

"Mind telling me what's in here? Genma asked over his shoulder.

"Fuck you, human!" The batarian slurred, "Don't touch that if you know what's good for you!"

"It's just robot parts." Genma examined a cybernetic arm with three fingers and a torn off robotic head that looked like a flashlight. "Why's Xen going through all the trouble for these?" He muttered.

"Those parts are worth more than your pitiful life!" the Batarian snorted.

Genma snorted as he set the parts to the side. Robot parts being more expensive than his life? Ha! He lightly shook his head, chuckling to himself. Those things are a dime a dozen in Japan and look way better than these… Geth if he remembered right. He frowned as he pulled out the next set of parts, a pair of legs styled after a Quarians.

Where were the jetpacks, the rocket fists, the laser eyes and chest blasters? These things didn't even have the-

Wait? Did he trigger something!?

"Hey, is this crate supposed to be beeping?" Genma asked the rapidly paling batarian.


	3. Chapter 3

…

"Yes sir, it's all true."

…

"We can't find any records of them anywhere. It's as if they've appeared out of thin air. I had trouble believing this myself till I confirmed it all personally."

…

"It's likely the other 'organizations' know about this too if not certain. The Saotome's have made no effort to hide their… _abilities_."

…

"No sir, we haven't made contact."

…

"Yes sir, we are observing them."

…

"Only a single team, it's all I could spare without compromising our other operations."

…

"They're ordered to intervene if the Saotome's get over their heads and extract them."

…

"I have the utmost confidence in my team. I handpicked them myself for this task."

…

"Of course sir, we'll keep you up to constantly updated on everything."

…

"You're sending someone?"

…

"Hmmm, when can we expect her to arrive?"

…

"Right now they're on a transport cruiser heading to the Citadel with a Quarian in tow. Daro'Xen, she's their current employer, they're acting as her bodyguards."

…

"Their contract was supposed end a week ago, after guarding her during a deal for Geth parts. And I don't need to repeat how that ended; you've read the report sir.

…

"Nothing was salvageable out of the warehouse remains and we were the first ones to arrive on the scene."

…

"We weren't spotted."

…

"Thank you for your time sir. Goodbye."

* * *

A blue light illuminated the dark room from its center, revealing its spartan interior. There were no windows, nor any comforts. Just a bed, a metal table, and a closet, the room was made out of a white metal, darkened by the lack of light and covered with moving shadows as the blue light brightened and dimed at random intervals.

Ranma Saotome grunted, a thin aura of blue covering his body. He struggled to master the baseball size ball of blue Ki floating between his hands. It twisted and morphed into chaotic array of shapes. Spikes erupted out, curving in as more spikes grew out of them before being sucked in as the Ki ball contracted in on itself. Slowly, but surely a coherent shape was forming out the mess as drops of sweat ran down Ranma's face and his shirtless back, nearly crawling into his eyes.

Emotions flooded through him. A fierce pride filled his chest at his progression. A burning desire for further control over this elusive ball as it fought his every step. And a madding anger for not getting to this stage sooner and at his many failures. Ranma took all these emotions and channeled them into the Ki ball as fuel and as stimulation.

The ball grew bigger, brighter, shining brilliantly as one would when dumping oil into a fire. The struggles increased and Ranma cursed under his breath, fighting even harder to force his will over it. He shouldn't have done that, _again_. But he had to otherwise his Ki ball would have faded into air.

_Pops wasn't kidding. This is hard._ Ranma thought, scowling. His Ki ball was too volatile for its own good and it found his control wanting, even after a week of practice.

When Ranma got back to the apartment from the bodyguard job, the old man immediately sat him down, and showed him a ball of dark purple Ki. Genma made a number of different shapes with it, even firing it into the wall, denting it. He did it again one more time and left Ranma to his own devices as he scoured the fridge for food.

"Stupid little thing! Listen to me!" He ordered, closing in his hands in a slow, agonizing struggle. The blue ball narrowed spinning and stretching itself into a cylinder like shape. Ranma smirked.

"Boy! Go to sleep, you've been doing that for hours now! It's past midnight already!" Genma's shout reverberate through the room's metallic walls and sent Ranma cringing from the sheer sound of it. For a moment the pony-tailed teen thought his father was right beside him, screaming into his ear and that cost him.

The blue ball winked out as Ranma turned his head and instantly snapped back as he caught it out of the corner of his eyes. "No, no, no, no, no, no! _Damn it!_" Ranma bit his bottom lip, cutting into it and drawing out blood. He spat it out, cursing again as Ki enhanced healing cut off the blood flow and sealed the wound. After a second it was as if the wound was never there in the first place.

Ki drained out of him and back into Ranma's reserves as his battle aura receded into his skin. Exhaustion overtook his body a second later and he collapsed on the cold floor. A shiver ran along his back and arms.

A dull thud was heard as Ranma beat his head against the floor. "Sheesh, fine, I'll just form my Ki-lance tomorrow. And I'll use it to replace that stick up your ass, old man!" He strained his ears for Genma's inevitable reply and heard only light snoring from within the room to his right.

"Tch," Ranma sat up, still irritated enough that he couldn't sleep even if he wanted too. "…What now?" he asked to himself, blue eyes sweeping across the dark room, focusing in on the door as it opened up.

Daro'Xen stumbled inside as the stingy smell of alcohol wrinkled his nose. She stared at him incomprehensibly and raised a shaky hand, pointing a twitching finger for a few long seconds and fell to the floor. Ranma waited till she started snoring and picked her up like a bride and set her softly on the bed, pulling the white covers over as he tucked her in.

"Fireeeeeee, Geeeeeth, whyyyyyyy?" Xen cried within her dreams… or nightmare. It might be the latter. "Geeeeeemaaaa, youuuuuuu, bbbbbosh'tetttttttt!"

"Definitely the latter," Ranma muttered, shaking his head lightly. "Damn it Old man, why does everything end in explosions with you!" His hand clenched as he stalked to the door and into the crusier's white hallway as it slide open. "Why didn't you take those parts instead of saving those mercs? At least we wouldn't have to deal with a shit-faced Xen every night."

He was complaining now and Ranma knew it. They did the right thing in saving those mercs. Leaving them to die wouldn't have sat well with him or his father. The mercs couldn't have escaped, not after what they did to them.

_And I'm going to have to do something about Xen's drinking. Maybe teach her the basics of Ki? She's been raising questions about it whenever she's sober. _Ranma thought as he passed by a hanar and an elcor. The hanar had… a pair of pistols held in two tentacles. He glanced back, and then did a double take as the hanar spun both pistols and disappeared in the corner with the elcor in tow.

"...I wonder what they're up to." Ranma said, smiling at his good fortune. "This is bound to be interesting." He shoved his hands into his pockets and went after the strange pair.

* * *

"Irritated statement: Vorcha, again. Damn it. Can't we deal with anything else, Blasto?" Buben asked in a flat, ponderous monotone as the elcor slowly strode down the cruisers hallways. He had no weapons save for his biotics and heavy shields. There was no need to bring basic elcor weaponry, he was on a ship and he didn't want to punch holes through it with anti-tank fire.

"Criminal scum is criminal scum, no matter their race, Buben." Blasto, the first hanar spectre politely answered, glowing luminescently as it did. Its twin, master crafted pistols were coiled within its tentacles, ready to deliver justice at a moment's notice.

They were here to bust a supposed drug shipment of red sand to the Citadel from Omega. A euphoric stimulant that's supposedly enhances biotic powers and if taken in great doses give biotics to non-biotics. Asari and batarians are said to be immune to its effects but it's quickly becoming one of the most popular drugs to hit black-market for the other races in the galaxy.

An elevator to take them to the lower levels was just up ahead as they turned a corner and Blasto whipped his pistol behind him, turning as he did. Buben did the same, only far slower.

"Curiously: Is someone following us?" He asked, peering down the hallway.

"This one isn't sure. It's best if we be on our guard for now." Blasto answered, still staring down the hallway as it floated backwards to the elevator. It opened as the spectre pressed a key and hovered in, Buben following half a minute later.

The doors shut and soft, cheerful elevator music played as it descended down at a relaxed pace. Buben thought to himself, and as he did an idea formed, he knew who could possibly following them. That muscular human, the one they passed earlier, he remembered him, from Omega. Specifically, from those viral videos of a human taking apart krogan in Omega's battle arena. Their faces look the same. Why didn't he realize it before, he was a former detective, damn it.

He and Blasto had both heard of him, Ranma Saotome, but were too late to investigate when everything ended. After that they went on to investigate a warehouse rumored to store red sand, guarded by eclipse mercs. They found it in flaming ruins, damn it.

And now they were here after 'acquiring' information through a number of Vorcha. If Elcors could sigh, he would. He was getting too old for this, damn it. Why didn't he take the retirement instead of partnering up with this psychotic hanar spectre?

Damn it, he needed a drink.

"Eureka: Blasto, I think I know who's following us." Buben spoke up as the elevator doors opened. He voiced his thoughts as the pair cautiously advanced into the bowls of the cruiser, lit with an orange tint. Below them as they went up the ramp, onto a walk way were thick wires and cables snaking into other sections of the cruiser. There was no one around save for them and the ever-present sound of the ships drive core reverberating through the area.

"Hmm, this one had his own thoughts on the matter too. But it needed more evidence before it could voice its hypothesis." Blasto answered, raising twin pistols as they approached an intersection.

"Hilarious laughing: You, evidence? I'd thought I'd never live to see the day." Buben stated, taking a left.

"It surprises this one as well." Blasto admitted, and Buben sensed the rare emotion of surprise radiating from the hanar. It quickly vanished as the spectre shook itself. "But anyway, how close are we to the vorcha scum, Buben? This one's trigger tentacles are itchy."

Buben took in a deep whiff, they were close, he could smell Vorcha and the intoxicating fragrance of red sand from here about fifty meters away, the criminals hadn't notice them yet. And just barely he could make out the human's scent too despite the high sense of smell all elcor have. The human was good, very good at hiding but Buben was better.

Buben voiced his findings as they approached a door and asked, "curiously: What shall we do to the human if he keeps following us?"

"This one does not mind, the human can watch so long as he does not help the criminal scum." Blasto answered, "If he should choose to do so," the hanar cocked his pistols, somehow. "Then this one shall deliver it a bullet. It has many to spare and so few targets."

"Sighing: And if he chooses to help us?" Buben asked as the door slid open, revealing a darkened interior that had seen far better days.

"Then this one is pleased, and will give him its thanks in assisting the law." Blasto answered, glowing brightly as if it were happy.

"Badassfully: Got it, let's do this and try to make arrests this time. We need information on the other shipments."

"This one makes no promises. Vorcha scum is prone to taking much effort to subdue non-lethally. It cannot be certain it could hold back enough. And you know, Buben, a bullet cannot hold itself back. Especially if it's incendiary," Blasto gave off a smug glow as it floated pass the door, guns raised infront of it.

"Dull anger: Blasto, damn it." Buben spoke as he took point, Blasto following behind. They ignored the doors they passed. There were no one in there, and if they were Buben would have smelt them already. Few things could hid from an Elcors nose.

"Do you smell anyone approaching?" Blasto whispered after a minute of traversing. They were nearing another intersection.

"Yes, yes I do. A pair of vorcha, likely a patrol, is coming in from the left." Buben quietly answered.

"Then this one is pleased." Blasto floated closer, till he was hiding behind the corner. Its pistols were raised as it hugged the wall. If it were human it'd be grinning by now. Buben stood still, hiding within the darkest parts of the shadows. And they waited as tense seconds passed by.

The vorcha patrol appeared, armed with shotguns held lazily in their hands. They weren't expecting any trouble and Blasto proved them wrong as he slide behind them as they passed, raising its pistols to their heads and cocked them.

"Halt right there, criminal scum!" Blasto ordered, and fired as the vorcha whirled around, raising their shotguns. In their death throes they fired once into each other, shredding their chests as they toppled to the floor, half of their heads missing from Blasto's inferno rounds.

"Dull angry insult: Blasto, you big stupid jelly fish, the rest of the Vorcha heard those shots. They're coming here, damn it."

"Then we shall be finished sooner as this one would like to wash off what little brains the vorcha scum have that are covering it." Blasto happily glowed as he took cover, blood dripping on to the floor from its form.

"Irritated sigh: I hate getting shot, damn it," Buben readied his biotics and waited for the inevitable firefight.

* * *

Ranma winced within the darkness as gunfire erupted down hallway. The hanar, Blasto and its elcor partner, Buben were shooting out with a bunch of vorcha drug smugglers with a combination of duel pistol fire and biotics. And judging from the vorcha screams of pain and agony as they died, it was a rather… one-sided curbstomp. Briefly, he wondered if he should help these supposed law officers.

Personally, Ranma thought they were vigilantes or something. He watched Blasto kill the two vorcha, slowly in his wide eyes. The bloody scene sickened him, what a waste of life. Not that he didn't condone killing, Ranma saw the necessity of it, but only as a last resort. His father drilled that lesson into him.

"If precious lives are at risk, do it and don't regret it."

That was Genma said, one of the few things Ranma would follow till the day he died. Those vorcha should have surrendered, they had their chance and they were too stupid to take it.

And… it wasn't as if they were good either. They reeked of blood not of their own and that red sand drug, Blasto and Buben were after. He overheard much of what they talked about on their way here. It was a surprise that the elcor could smell him, despite his best attempts. The old man would be livid, and send him back into survival training if he ever heard of this.

Ranma shuddered. He _really_ didn't want to deal with stone wolves' aga-

He pinched the bridge of his nose, scowling at himself. Why was he thinking about this!?There was a fight going on, this wasn't the time to be thinking!

It was time for action!

_And I know just what to do, _Ranma thought, chuckling darkly as he sunk into the shadows, right hand held in a chopping position. A faint blue glow irradiated from his fingers, growing brighter as he neared the metal wall. Blue Ki solidified, sharpening as it gathered around his hand and if one would look closely an outline of a knife hovering an inch off of Ranma's arm.

He might not have made any real progression in ranged Ki attacks, but melee attacks came easily as he used his body as a mold instead of his mind. It made things a lot simpler.

Ranma quickly carved out a triangular doorway with a trio of slashes. Metal parted before his knife as if it were butter and flew as he kicked it in, and dashed inside. Ranma moved to the next wall, behind it he heard the Vorcha smugglers snarling and screeching curses and insults at Blasto and Buben in between bursts of gunfire. Their hissing, raspy voices really grated on his sharp ears.

As Ranma reached the wall his knife flashed three more times, and kicked out another triangular door. Dashing in, he dispelled his knife, balling it into a fist and struck at the nearest vorcha's face with a quick jab, sending the alien straight into the realm of unconsciousness. Two more followed as Ranma raced down the hallway.

There was no one behind him, but infront of him were four more vorcha hugging the corners for cover, two on each side. All that was left of a group of twelve, their corpses, mangled and warped from biotic attacks and punctured with shouldering holes from incendiary rounds laid strewed across the T intersection.

Despite the slow pace he observed Blasto and Buben work _fast_. It had only been half a minute had pass since the fire fight started. Or maybe the vorcha charged at them like idiotic lemmings at first.

_Meh, _Ranma thought, shrugging, _I_ _better end this now._

* * *

The firefight ended abruptly, a few seconds after Blasto heard the sound of metal smacking into metal, to its side and again a moment after, this time where the vorcha scum were gathered. Then constant offending screams and insults said scum were spewing out ended mid cry as a speeding blur nearly too fast for it to track passed over its vision. Honed reflexes took over, before Blasto even realized and fired its twin pistols, missing the blur by scant inches. Buben fired a warp blast a second later, achieving nothing but ruining the wall infront of him.

"Hey! Wait, wait! Hold your fire, don't shoot!" A human voice cried out, a male in his teens if Blasto guessed correctly. The different voices coming from human genders were hard to differentiate at times. They all tend to sound the same to it, though much of its experience came from shooting humans. All things blurred together during gun fights. Blasto was lucky it already knew who helped it.

"This one asks you to come out slowly, hands raised above your head, facing forward." Blasto ordered, raising its pistols down the hallway. A quick glance told it Buben had his biotics ready and waiting.

"Right, right, right, just don't shoot." Ranma agreed, doing just that as he walked out with a calm expression. Confidence radiated out of every movement, every movement, like that of an apex predator. His fists dripped blood on the floor and onto his clothes and an irritated scowl tugged at his lips.

_He must have punched the vorcha,_ Blasto thought, glowing slightly as it did, the hanar equivalent of an amused smile.

"Well?" Ranma asked impatiently, shooting annoyed glances at both his hands.

"This one asks you to identify yourself, civilian and then as to why you helped us deal with the criminal scum." Blasto asked, "It appreciates what you did though."

"Ranma Saotome, age sixteen, traveling martial artist," Ranma answered lazily, "and as to why I help you, why wouldn't I? Martial artists always help people out."

"Curious question: What if you choose to help the wrong side?" Buben slowly spoke up, stepping forward.

Ranma snorted. "I didn't and you already know why."

"Sighing: And what if that weren't the case?" Buben asked, biotic aura receding within him. Blasto didn't lower its pistols, keeping them focused on Ranma. One to the head, the other to his reproductive organs.

Ranma only smiled, shooting quick glances at it and Buben. Blasto knew that sort of look, it seen it every day. The look when one compares itself to another, wondering who'd come out victorious in a fight.

And Blasto wasn't sure it'd or Buben come out on top, but neither was Ranma, judging from the slight, uncertain look on his face that quickly vanished as soon as it appeared.

…What a strange human, Ranma acted more like a krogan than krogan themselves. Blasto wouldn't be surprised if it found out that the human was raised by them if it were possible. Humanity had only been known in the galaxy for a mere five years.

"And you two are…" Ranma trailed off.

"Buben, former officer from C-Sec and thank you for your assistance." the elcor answered.

"This one's face name is known as, Blasto the first hanar spectre." It greeted, lowering its pistols with no little effort on its part. One can't be certain when gun fights might start. Blasto was taught to maintain constant vigilance by his mentor after all.

"You're a spectre?" Ranma asked, blinking.

"Yes, this one is, and proud of it." Blasto glowed brilliantly. It was all true; it loved being a spectre, free to deliver its own brand of justice to the cowardly criminal scum of the galaxy. Many of its colleagues questioned its methods constantly as did the councilors, but its recorded had nothing but results.

Explosive results, but results none the less. Blasto took comfort it wasn't like Saren. It didn't do needless brutality, or ruthlessly throwing away lives to achieve its duties, unlike the Turian spectre. Criminals, and criminals only no civilians if Blasto could help it. That was its line.

Saren had none.

"Huh," Ranma spoke up, as Blasto pulled itself out of its thoughts. The human must have been doing the same. "You know, I'd thought spectres would be…" Ranma crossed his arms, tapping a foot as he trailed off again. "Taller, more intimidating, and wore hats."

"This one is sorry to displease you then," Blasto answered, floating on ahead. They spent enough time talking, it was time to deal with the red sand shipment. Buben followed his partner shortly.

As the elcor did he asked Ranma as he passed, "curiously: Where did you get that assumption of spectres? Stories and rumors on the extranet?"

Ranma shook his head, frowning as he slowly walked with Buben. "Na, to me spectres sound like something straight out of a British inquisition novel. Those books are always fun to read. Lots of action and fighting, the mystery was okay too. The romance… not so much, those scenes _sucked!_" the human threw his hands up in exasperation as he finished.

"This one asks, do you have any? Though it may not look like it, it is quite the advent reader in its spare time and those sound interesting." Blasto asked as they all passed by the vorcha bodies, still out cold.

"…Aren't you going to cuff them or something?" Ranma asked, completely forgetting Blasto's question as he spotted the bodies.

"…" Blasto paused, hovering as it considered the humans question.

"Irritated sigh: Damn it, Blasto, you forgot the cuffs again, didn't you?" Buben said, shaking his head ever so slightly. Ranma bit back a snicker as he gathered the vorcha bodies into one large pile, tearing their weapons in half as he did.

"…This one admits that it did. For it rarely has need for cuffs." Blasto answered as it turned to face the two.

"Irritated Statement: Because you kill nearly every criminal you encounter, damn it."

"This one disagrees; it is clearly the fault of the criminal scum for being uncooperative with it." Blasto shook its form and glowed darkly.

"Right, I'm done here, don't worry about the vorcha getting up or away anytime soon." Ranma interrupted their banter. Blasto floated up as Buben turned around. They saw Ranma without his shirt, revealing his muscular torso in all its glory. Corded muscles rippled as he dusted his hands.

Behind him were the vorcha, seven in all, and all were piled together in a circle. In such a way that one couldn't escape without assistance from the rest due to the way their hands were tied tightly behind their backs with strips of Ranma's shirt. And said strips were glowing blue.

Blasto slowly floated down as Ranma walked up to rejoin them. For a quiet second they considered each other. Blasto broke the silence. "This one asks, what did you do, Ranma? Why are those strips of cloth glowing?"

Ranma smirked as he raised his hand infront of Blasto and Buben. As he got their attention, Ranma made a fist, and it flashed brilliantly, enough to illuminate the dark hallway in a blue light. As the spots cleared from Blasto's sight it saw a light blue aura glowing around Ranma's fist and then travel down, till it enveloped the human's entire body.

"Curious question: Is that Biotics?" Buben spoke after slowly examining Ranma's hand.

He shook his head. "Na, this is Ki. Something _way_ different than biotics, it's another form of energy. It's the energy of life itself." Ranma answered, still smirking. "I channeled it into those strips of cloth I tied the Vorcha with, reinforcing it immensely. Those strips are now stronger than steel, and will stay that way for an hour or two. It's called the Iron Cloth technique, a basic technique all martial artists know."

Blasto and Buben stood silent for a few long minutes as they digested what Ranma had just said and kept sharing glances between each other.

"What? Aren't you guys curious or something?" Ranma frowned.

"Oh yes, this one is quite _interested_. It only needed time to collect its thoughts. Would you mind sharing more as we finish with this drug bust?" Blasto asked, shaking itself out of its stupor. If what Ranma is saying is true then this discovery could be quite… big to say the least.

Ranma grinned. "Sure, why not. I have nothing better to do anyways."

* * *

"Where the hell am I now!?" Ryoga Hibiki screamed at the unforgiving world as he trekked through the sudden steppes he found himself in, under the hot light of an orange sun. The lost boy glared at it for a second, before pulling his gaze away, scowling as he did.

This week hadn't been good; he couldn't find one hint of Ranma anywhere! That coward, that bastard! How dare he run away from him! Ryoga Hibiki! Their bread feud was still on, he remembered it like it was yesterday, still fresh in his mind and that of the conclusion to their final duel.

The one that Ranma ran away from!

"I gave him three days! I gave him ample time to show up!" Ryoga shouted, setting his large camping pack, stuffed to the brim with all sorts of things on the soft ground. He pulled out his trusty umbrella, setting it on the ground. Ryoga opened it up, providing him with shade as he pulled out a whole host of other things as he emptied out his camping pack and made camp.

It didn't take long, only a few minutes. Ryoga had plenty of experience; after all he'd done this for most of his life and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Members of the Hibiki clan… tend to get lost, really lost. Ryoga more so than others, even his parents. Both of whom were really famous for their skills in getting lost, intentionally and accidently.

Maybe it was because he was descended from them, or maybe it was because some sick and twisted god took pleasure in his bizarre adventures. Or maybe it could be all Ranma's fault.

"Defiantly Ranma's fault," Ryoga muttered, peering into the far off sky underneath the shade of his umbrella. He frowned as he did, this place seemed familiar. Crossing his arms, he looked up, back at the dawning orange sun again and at the floor.

Ryoga scooped up the healthy dirt and grass, letting fall in between his fingers and onto the yellow blanket below. He took in the smells with a deep whiff. The air was clean, far cleaner than most places he's been through. He smelled only nature in all its beauty.

"At least it's not trying to kill me this time around." Ryoga sighed, crawling towards an unlit campfire a few feet away, surrounded by stone and dirt. He pulled out his flint and steel, and carefully started up a fire. He could potentially set fire to this entire field if he misused his flint and steel! And Ryoga witnessed it once, the same time he got this tool.

Ryoga shuddered, shaking his head. Those poor, poor blocky mine-

Wait!

He rose, he knew where he was!

"I'm on-"

"_Rannoch, hello again Ryoga-Wander_," A digital voice suddenly spoke behind the lost boy.

Ryoga smiled as he turned around to see a robot, a geth materialize infront of him as it disengaged its tactical cloak. The lost boy walked towards it, arms held wide and hugged the synthetic, lifting is up into the air as he did.

"Checkers! It's good to see you!" Ryoga chuckled and set the geth down before he damaged it. Checkers and its kind were pretty fragile… well… a lot of things were fragile underneath his strength.

A single glowing eye looked at Ryoga, and at his camp. Its metal plates surrounding the eye folded out in a faint, flower like shape. They lifted in and out as Checkers regarded the situation with perfect awareness.

"_You have made camp."_ It simply stated.

"Well, of course, I've been traveling all day!" Ryoga answered as he walked back to said camp, and to the campfire. He beckoned Checkers, one his few true friends in life to follow.

It did, recording everything it could see for Ryoga-Wander always brings some of the most curious and illogical things to Rannoch whenever he visited. Some are still being figured out by the geth consensus, like Ryoga-Wander's ability to walk between the boundaries of dimensions.

It should be impossible, yet it's not.

A challenge, one the geth will figure out as they will for all organic mysteries in due time. And all 1,183 programs built within the platform known as Checkers agree with the rest of the geth consensus. It was designed to communicate with them after all, ever since Ryoga-Wander made himself known four years ago.

Checkers kneeled infront of Ryoga as he prepared himself a cup of jasmine tea. He sipped it once, and released a blissful sigh as all his troubles seemed to float in the air. Ryoga's smile brightened. The human teenager and the geth platform regarded each other in silence. The former, appreciating the view of Rannoch's setting sun. The latter, processing a sudden new stream of information from geth network regarding Ryoga-Wander.

"_Ryoga-Wanderer, we know where the being known as Ranma Saotome currently is._" Checkers spoke as the orange sun vanished beneath the horizon.

Ryoga _grinned._


	4. Chapter 4

"So, this is the famous Citadel," Genma Saotome muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, a small smile graced his lips as he gazed upon the massive space construct through the cruiser's observational windows. He was alone here, with only Ranma, close to his side. The raven haired teen was completely and utterly taken in by the sight before them. No amount of pictures or videos could measure up to what they were seeing now.

The Citadel was a massive construct, similar in shape to a pentagram, consisting of a central ring 7.2 kilometers in diameter, from which five arms protrude, each 43.6 km long and 330m thick. And atop each of those arms were countless buildings, and living within were millions of beings from races all over the galaxy. They were called the Wards, each akin to a city itself. This was all true, straight from the Codex itself.

"Pop's, that thing is _huge_." Ranma breathed as the Citadel came in closer and closer.

"Yes, yes it is, boy." Genma answered after a quiet moment as he glanced at the hundreds of ships of different designs, both commercial and military they flew by, even the _Destiny's Ascension_. A ship, a Dreadnaught said to be the largest and most advance ship in the galaxy. Although, Genma wondered why it had a giant oval in the middle of its structure. It seemed… impractical for a space ship.

But who was he to say? He wasn't an expert at space ship design.

"Was it worth it? Traveling to here instead of Earth first?" Ranma said in a small whisper, touching the glass faintly, unable to look at anything else other than what's infront him. Genma slowly laid a hand on his son's shoulder and staring into Ranma's eyes. The elder Saotome gave him a firm, reassuring nod that only he saw.

"I think… this sight alone was worth the entire trip. Earth…" Genma swallowed as he felt his heart beat quicken and found it hard to speak. The words he wanted to say next fumbled in his dry mouth. He clenched his teeth behind his closed lips and sucked in a slow breath, calming himself down.

Genma breathed, closing his eyes for a _very_ long second and opened them. "…Earth, can wait for a little while longer while we explore the Citadel." He shook Ranma's shoulder and patting him on the back once or twice. "It's supposed to be one of the wonders of the galaxy, there's bound to be something interesting within that massive construct!"

"And it will! Blasto and his partner Buben are offering us a tour of the station themselves!" Ranma exclaimed, smiling. Excitement and anticipating rolled off of him in waves. Genma could taste it, literally.

He chuckled, crossing his arms. "The hanar and the elcor, right?" He asked, knowing the answer already. He'd meet the two after Ranma's little adventure with them in the bowels of the cruiser, when the boy went to bed. And, when they told him of it, Genma couldn't help but feel only pride for Ranma's involvement in busting a drug smuggling operation.

He'll never admit it till the day he dies.

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Yes, those two." He tilted his head, quirking his lips in-between a frown and a smile. "You're coming with us right?"

"…Maybe, I might go off by myself for a little bit. A man needs time alone every now and then." Genma slowly answered, staring up and to nowhere in particular. He lowered his head, sighing and regarded Ranma again, smirking.

"Old man, what are you thinking?" Ranma raised an eyebrow and nearly took a step back before catching himself.

Genma gave off a light snort. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just thinking that my son is still a boy, and not a man." He shook his head, tsking as he did. "Ranma, do you need your manly father to watch over you?" He leaned forward till their faces were inches away. "Are you afraid of being alone fo-"

Ranma interrupted like a renegade and shut Genma up with a fist on colliding atop his father's head. The head ate the metal floor, and Genma scowled at his ungrateful, eye rolling son.

"I can take care of myself! I don't need you watching me!" Ranma proudly stated, puffing up his chest as he jerked a thumb towards it. "I'll be fine, I…" He turned his head away. Genma caught a brief grimace just before he did. "I… just needed to know if we could tour the Citadel together."

Genma sighed, pushing himself off the floor. "I'll think about it, and give you my answer soon."

"Give it before we disembark, got it?"

"I will, I will," Genma promised, and waited as he combed through recent memories. "How are the lessons going with Xen? You did ask me for my advice teaching her basic Ki manipulation."

"Your opinion, not advice," Ranma corrected, earning a brief snort from Genma.

"It's the same thing."

"Not to me," Ranma grumbled, electing another snort.

"Well, tell me her progress anyways." Genma sat down, planting his hands on his knees and motioning Ranma to do the same. He did after a moment of internal debate.

"…I've gotten her started on breathing practices, and meditation stances…." Ranma paused, and shrugged. "That's it, she only started yesterday."

"And you?" Genma asked.

"I've… been reading and looking up Quarian biology before I do anything else." Ranma answered, scratching his hair nervously. "She's not human, and I don't know what will happen if I forcefully wake her Ki like you did with me. Nothing might happen, and that's the best scenario if things go wrong. I'm… hoping she'll awaken hers through meditation. It'll take weeks, maybe even months depending on her talent but it's the safest thing to do."

"Until you achieve a greater understanding of what you're doing," Genma finished, smiling faintly. "When it comes to the unknown, take all things into account." He slapped Ranma's shoulder. "Don't be too worried, be excited! You're approaching new territory here with our art, teaching aliens! From what we know no one here knows about Ki! You're the first one to do this! Be proud of your accomplishment, son!"

Ranma's cheeks burned red as he looked away. A slow, confident grin spread as he digested Genma's words. "Thanks… father." He whispered.

Genma rose, offering Ranma a hand. He took it and the burly man pulled up. They regarded each other silently, eye to eye for a minute.

"What now?" Ranma broke the silence, looking around the empty observation deck and through its large window. They were nearly at the Citadels docking bays.

Genma scratched his chin. "I'm going to go for a little walk, and think on a few things. I'll meet you near the exit."

"Don't be late, and don't forget either." Ranma said, shoving his hands in his pockets and turned away, striding towards the exit.

As he left Genma pulled out an aged, folded photograph from stuff-space. He opened it up, and walked away as he stared at it with a heavy heart.

* * *

Martin waited, sitting on a metal bench, a reading off a data-pad in hand. Around him were other humans and aliens chatting, waiting to disembark from the cruiser.

He ignored most of them. Those that weren't important. The few others, he kept a close eye on, like the hanar and the elcor. He knew who they were, and how much of a danger they represented. Blasto, the first hanar spectre, and its elcor partner, Buben, a former C-sec officer.

That they were with one of his targets only amplified the danger they represented. They were chatting with Ranma Saotome, a raven haired teen dressed in ancient earth clothing. Ranma stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the other humans in here, including himself and the other members of his team.

They've been sent to track and observe Ranma and his father and record and send any information they find out. And what they've seen excited him to no end.

True, genuine super-humans!

Everything could change, _will_ change for humanity!

These two represented what humanity will become!

…Only if they, his team could find out their secrets. From the bugs they planted in their rooms they knew what it was, Ki the energy of life itself. They use this energy to enhance their bodies to impossible degrees, generating _energy_ attacks with it, enhanced healing, reinforcing materials, super senses, absurd reaction times, etc.

Martin was sure there was more. They have only scratched the surface with the possibilities in using Ki. But he knew that with this energy, one man could become an army. Far more than any biotic could.

And Ranma was teaching his secrets to a damned quarian of all things. The thought of it left him scowling. Why her and not another human? Who was she to deny humanities progress?

Damn it!

They needed better observation equipment. They need more information, and their orders restricted them from making any contact whatsoever unless their targets were in trouble.

He snorted.

_The only thing that could trouble those two is a damn Thresher Maw,_ Martin thought, thinking back to the numerous videos of Ranma's fights in Omega's arena and the aftermath of the drug bust last night.

Martin's team couldn't take him, not without stacking the odds heavily in their favor and with the element of surprise. Anyone who engaged Ranma in a straight up fight is just asking to be slaughtered. The teen was too fast, too strong for any one being in the galaxy.

And if Ranma was that strong, what sort of monster was his father then?

There wasn't much on Genma, even the bugs didn't come up with much other than he can pull things out of nowhere. That's it, the man was an enigma and his gut told him that Genma was the one to watch out for.

In his experience, it's always the unkno-

Martin looked down, hearing something tap against his foot and saw a pair of glasses with a wide frame.

He picked it up, as a large shadow fell over him and turned to see Genma Saotome standing right behind him. His target ignored him completely, staring only at the glasses held in his hand.

"Ah, I see you found my glasses." Genma said, smiling as he reached over and plucked it from his hand. "Thanks."

"…You're welcome." He said, pausing briefly as he assessed the new situation. He didn't dare glace at his other teammates for fear of giving them away.

"Hmm," Genma nodded as he delicately whipped his glasses with a makeshift towel formed from the folds of the white gi he wore. He put them on, making careful adjustments. Martin studied Genma for a few seconds and found no hint of recognition from his face.

_Coincidence?_ He thought, and squashed it. There are no coincidences in his line of work. Everyone always does something for some reason. Genma Saotome knew that they were following him and was stating it just by being here.

_Crap._

Martin quietly rose and calmly walked away. He ignored Genma's sudden cries as he delved deep within his thoughts, quickly thinking up a multitude of future scenarios and encounters now that they've been found out.

None of them were comforting.

* * *

Genma watched the non-descriptive man leave and glanced at the data-pad he left in his rush to get away. The man completely ignored his calls for some reason.

"Maybe he needed to go to the bathroom?" Genma guessed, and shrugged as he picked up the data-pad and with the flick of his wrist stored it within stuff-space. Better he have it than someone else, it might be important or something.

He'll find out later, after a tour around the Citadel, and after satisfying his taste buds. He needed real food in his belly, not that paste crap they serve on space ships.

Genma licked lips, imagining all sorts of alien cuisine and drinks as he went to join Ranma and co.

* * *

Compared to the filthy sights that constantly plagued Ranma Saotome's vision during his stay in Omega, Citadels Presidium looked positively heavenly. The well-kept, cream colored buildings were seemingly built into the landscape with tons of balconies and ledges hanging off them. Greenery, trees and plant life seemed to be planted anywhere they could in this advance city. The ground curved up below him and onto the far off distance.

Ranma observed it all pass by in a blur from within the cramped sky car he was in. His face was literally eating the glass at this point, being squished by Xen as she in turn was done the same by Genma. The Saotome elder was inches away from Buben, as the elcor took up both the front passenger seat, and its backseat.

And Blasto was driving, breaking what Ranma was sure to be speed limit without a care in the world. Buben, hearing the ever increasing honks and hollers only shook his head ever so slightly.

"Badassfully: Blasto, remember I just bought this sky car… _again_. Try not to crash it this time around."

"This one makes no promises, but it doesn't see another gunship to crash into. Do not be worried, Buben." Blasto answered as he took a sharp dive, avoiding a swerving sky truck a mere seconds before it collided. Ranma winced, trying to hold in his lunch. A quick sniff told him that Xen… wasn't so lucky. Genma… his eyebrow twitched as he overheard his father,_snoring._

"You know," Ranma spoke up, his voice drawling out as sky car accelerated even faster, its metal protesting under the sheer speed Blasto was putting it through. "This isn't what I'd expect for a tour… are we just driving around?"

"Likely, Blasto has a need for speed at times." Buben answered.

"This one wished to test the limits of its partner's new car. And it finds them acceptable." Blasto stated, turning the sky car in a wide arc as he did. Ranma cursed as everyone pressed against him and pushed back with his shoulder, scowling

"And why aren't we being chased by C-Sec?"

"Spectre status," Blasto simply said. Buben shook his head ever so slightly, doing his best impression of a sigh or groan. Ranma couldn't tell which as he tilted Xen's head away as she hurled again inside her suit.

They were only going… what? A hundred-twenty, maybe even hundred-fifty miles per hour?

_Pretty slow, _Ranma thought, eyes darting to Xen. He sighed. If the Quarian can't handle this then... _I'm definitely going to run her though a few, _soft _physical exercises to get rid of it. Like jogging with a heavy chair strapped to her back while running from a varren._

Ranma gave himself a single, firm nod and smiled.

Xen shivered.

* * *

"Well, that was an excellent nap." Genma Saotome yawned, stretching his arms out as he did and scratched his back. He looked back, and saw Blasto and Buben slowly exiting the sky car with Xen laying face first on the metal floor, groaning as Ranma idly poked her with a foot.

He chuckled to himself and gazed at his surroundings.

They were still within Citadels Presidium, near the entrance landing down to the Zakera Ward if Genma read the sign up ahead correctly. Behind him was an artificial lake that split this part of the presidium in two parts, and connected it together with numerous bridges. Around him were finely dressed aliens and even a few humans here and there, off doing important business. And scuttling around, being ignored by everything and everyone were green aliens that resembled large aphids.

Keepers, a race of aliens in charge of maintaining the Citadel and have been ever since it was discovered by the asari thousands of years ago. Nothing was really known about them as the keepers never talked, not once and every attempt at studying them ended in failure due to a self-destruct mechanism programed into their bodies.

That's what known about them from the Codex.

Curious, Genma focused on the keeper closest to him, who was busy tapping away at a console near a tree and extended his senses. What they came back with briefly surprised him.

_I sense life, and yet no life. _Genma thought, tilting his head to the side. His muscular stomach gurgled and groaned for food and drink. He pushed any further thoughts away for later, it's time to feast!

Genma stared at the large, open entrance to the Zakera Ward. His hungry gut told him that all the real food was down there, and everything up here in the Presidum was just some fancy class crap that wouldn't begin to sooth his hunger.

It's time to go down.

"Boy!" Genma called, not looking back. "I'm going for some grub, you'll be fine here with them right?" He overhead Ranma snort and started for the entrance. "If I find someplace good I'll tell you about it later!"

"Ya, and where are we going to meet up then?" Ranma shouted as he helped Xen up, holding her by the waist with her arm over his shoulder.

"Just look for me, it'll be like our old games of hide and seek. It'll be easy for you!"

"Only because I'll find you in a jail cell," Ranma muttered, rolling his eyes as he watched his father vanish into a large crowd traveling into the Zakera Ward. He rose as did Xen and released her, only plant a hand on her shoulder, steadying her as she stumbled a bit.

"Thanks," She breathed, looking away.

"No problem," Ranma replied, looking around for Blasto and Buben and found them on the other side of the sky car, arguing with a turian C-sec officer. The turian left, throwing his arms up in the air a second later while Blasto gave off a smug glow, Buben turned towards them.

"Curious Question: Ranma, where do you want to go? And where's your father?"

"He ran off, looking for someplace to eat down in the ward." Ranma shrugged. "Don't worry about him, he'll turn up later." He paused and gave a quick look around. "Where do you guys think we go? I… don't know where to go."

"This one knows of a place; have you ever heard Consort's chambers, Ranma?" Blasto spoke up, glowing brightly.

"Badassfully: Damn it, Blasto. Not that place, anywhere but there." Buben faced the hanar spectre, narrowing his eyes.

The hanar shook his form, displeased. "But, it's been so long, Buben. This one wishes to visit her."

The elcor glared. "No."

"Shall we ditch them?" Xen whispered, as Buben and Blasto continued to argue back and forth. "And look around for ourselves?"

Ranma stared at the arguing pair for one brief second and nodded. "Have you been here before?" Ranma asked quietly as he subtly backed away, into the crowds with Xen in tow.

"No, this is my first time here." She answered, "Should be interesting, I've heard many stories about this place in the flotilla."

"Care to tell?"

"As we walk, lead the way, Ranma."

* * *

"Did you see buzzing videos buzzing around the extranet?" A Salarian said, drumming with his three fingers on a circular bar as a volus bartender filled his drink. The air was abuzz with the sounds of lively, techno music, blasting over idle chatter, hoots, hollers and whistles at asari strippers dancing on metal poles near or atop of red-lit booths placed along the room's perimeter.

"That viral video from Omega right?" The Turian shook his head as the Salarian nodded. He downed what little remained of his shot. He set it on the table, nudging the glass towards the bartender as he regarded his drinking buddy with a critical eye, pointing a shaky talon. "It's obvious those things are nothing but crap, and lies. A human beating up a Krogan? That's impossible."

"I don't know," A deep voice rumbled, causing the two drinkers to look up from drinks and to the Krogan sitting down on the cushioned seat next to them. He glanced at them, revealing multiple scars dug into the right side of his bone plate, trailing down his face and ending at his neck. They looked as if it were by a claw of some sort.

The pair swallowed as Urdnot Wrex grinned at them, and quickly ordered a ryncol. He looked back at them, shocked sober and chuckled. "I think, there might be some truth to those videos."

"A-and why's that?" The Salarian spoke up, swallowing nervously.

"Because," Wrex leaned forward, looming over the two and watched with great amusement as their nerves were flayed before gaze. "I've talked to those who were there." He answered slowly.

The pair didn't reply and all but ran to a different section of the bar, spilling their drinks in haste as they did. Wrex chuckled again, grasping his drink and chugged it down. The old krogan shook his head once as the powerful drink circulated through his bloodstream, giving him a faint buzz.

Wrex ordered another one, waiting patiently as the bartender filled his drink and wondered what else to get. He just finished his job and had a good amount of credits to waste. It was easy, only taking out a base of batarian pirates.

No challenge what so ever.

Wrex grumbled, reaching for his drink as a human male took a seat right at his side. The human was strange compared to the others he'd seen. A burly, middle aged man, wearing glasses with a frame that wrapped around his ears, a white bandana covered his bald head. He wore a set of baggy white clothes that had seen better days.

"I'll have whatever the krogan is having." Genma Saotome spoke, jerking a finger towards said krogan.

The volus bartender stared at the insane human's request for a few long seconds before shrugging and doing just that. Wrex gazed at him, amused.

"You do know that's ryncol, Krogan liquor? It'll kill ya, this stuff's like fuel. It'll destroy your insides." Wrex said, uncaring of the human's fate despite his warning.

Genma shrugged. "It can't be worse than a gargle blaster I tried once."

"And just what's a gargle blaster?" Wrex asked, leaning against the bar on his side as he turned to fully face Genma.

"…I… don't remember." He admitted, frowning as the bartender dropped the drink infront of him, waddling away towards his other customers.

"Then it can't be stronger than a shot of ryncol, you're still alive." Wrex simply stated, picking up his drink and held it close to his armored chest.

Genma snorted, doing the same. "Let's put that to the test." He paused. "What's your name?"

"Urdnot Wrex."

"Genma Saotome."

Man and Krogan stared at one another, straight in the eye. Unspoken challenges were exchanged and accepted. They both nodded to each other, raising their glasses and clicked them once.

The game that all men, no matter their race must play was about to begin.

Before they started, each had one thing to say to the other.

They grunted and drank.

* * *

Ranma stared at everything and anything the Presidium has to offer. His hands clasped behind his head, whistling a tune as he listened in on Xen tales of her people and that of the geth. Reading about it was one thing, hearing it was another, especially with the emotion Xen put in. It moved his heart, but only by so much because of the quarian's habit of descending into creepy rants whenever she talked about the geth.

_Man, she's obsessed, _Ranma thought, coming up towards a bridge. He smiled. _And that's good. She'll need one. Ki is always easier to use if you have a focus in mind._

"Are you even listening to me?" Xen said, tapping Ranma's shoulder and snapped him out of thoughts. He looked back, stopping as he turned.

"Ya, just thinking about your Ki training," Ranma answered, scratching his head.

"Do you still think it's possible?" Xen asked in a hopeful voice, thinking about all that was possible with this strange new power. She could possibly live without her suit by controlling her immune system to suppress allergic reactions and still allow it to fight off microbial infections.

If what Ranma said was true. It seemed impossible to her as an aspiring scientist but the human teen infront of her broke the laws of physics on a daily basis or represented a new one. Xen wasn't sure but she knew for certain that whenever Ranma or his father used Ki reality seemingly warped around them.

If she can bring this back to the Flotilla then it might make up for not getting the Geth parts. Not that anyone but her knew about it but she wanted to bring back something big and not just a ship like everyone else did.

Keelah, she wishe-

"Are you even listening to me?" Ranma said, smirking as he snapped a finger infront of her face. Xen blinked and batted the offending hand away.

"Yes, I am, unlike you." Xen huffed, looking away.

"Oh really? Then what did I say?" Ranma slid into her view. Arms clasped behind his back, smirk turning sly as he raised his chin, and looked down upon her.

"…" Xen stayed silent,

Ranma tsked, shaking his head in slow, exaggerated motions. "Yes, of course, why else would I be training you if I didn't think it was possible?" Ranma repeated, circling around Xen. "You have Ki, not that much admittedly, but a bit better than the average person. You just don't know how to bring it out yet."

"And these meditations and breathing exercises will?" Xen spoke up, overcoming her urge to punch this infuriating bosh'tet.

"They should, or I can throw you into the deep end by bringing out your Ki myself." Ranma admitted with a shrug.

"You can do that?"

"It might do nothing or it might kill you, maybe something worse." Ranma guessed, looking up at the artificial sky. He sighed. "Don't ask, not going to try it till I'm sure what will happen."

"Is it because I'm not human?"

Ranma nodded. "Ya, pretty…" and trailed off, mumbling in a low voice as he turned away and spun right back, gripping Xen by the shoulders. His blue eyes bore through her helmet with their burning intensity and into hers.

"Yes?" She swallowed, briefly wondering why the temperature suddenly rose as her suit warned her of the change.

"Do you have any diagrams detailing Quarian spirituality in regards to their bodies?" Ranma asked in all seriousness. Minutes passed as Xen combed through her memories and what she knew of her people's history.

She came up with nothing.

"…No."

Ranma pulled away, snapping a finger. "Drat." He scowled as Xen came to his side.

Xen crossed her arms, staring straight ahead. "What now?"

The raven haired teen rubbed his chin as he looked around, saying, "call me curious, but I want to check out where everyone from Earth hangs out and see what they do."

"I don't mind, but this time you tell me stories of your people."

Ranma chuckled, resuming his previous pace. "Sure, just keep an open mind because _everything_ I say is true."

* * *

"DRINK, DRINK, DRINK, DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!"

The roar of the crowd was deafening as they cheered and hollered around circular metal table covered with empty and full glasses filled with a green drink. They surrounded two elbows, one human, the other, krogan. The table protested as two hands grasped one another, seeking to dominate their opponent.

"a-wrex," Genma slushed out, chuckling as Wrex struggled to bring his hand down with all the might the drunken Krogan could muster.

"Gggemnnna," Wrex said similarly, burping loud and hard as his other hand wandered around aimlessly. He knocked over glasses, empty and filled, spilling their precious nectar much to Genma's and the Volus bartender's frustration. Wrex didn't notice as his eyes were light years away, bouncing around in his head. By all accounts he should be unconscious or even dead!

Only through sheer willpower was he still here, fighting against this incredible human in a contest of drinking, with ryncol of all things! His hazy mind told him that the human, Genma should have been down after his first drink!

And he wasn't!

In fact, Genma was on his tenth, and still going! While he, as much as he hated to admit was only on his ninth. And he still couldn't find the blasted thing.

Wrex growled, giving more strength into his arm. Genma shook his head and took the extra force with a gentle smile. His hand not even budging an inch as the table started to fold up as their elbows sunk into the metal.

The crowd started to chant their names and encourage them to drink further.

"Weak, veruy wea.k" Genma said, shaking his head. He looked around the room with the clarity of a man whose blood alcohol level was a hundred and eleven and saw rainbow elephants everywhere!

**_EVERYWHERE!_**

"i'll…I'l admitq, p" Wrex grunted, smashing a fist into the table and sent every glass up in the air by an inch. Genma raised the entire table up with a knee, catching every drink perfectly, without spilling a single drop. "you'vpe got a duad, Genma!"

"youer' my dad?" Genma reeled his head back, gasping as he set the table down.

Wrex punched himself in the face and shook his head violently. Some of the thick haze left his sight and his thoughts weren't so jumbled together. He narrowed his dragon eyes and found Genma scowling at him.

"Wwhaatt?" He asked.

"Y, yuz, do dat? Ssssssssss…" Genma trailed off as pressure in his stomach built. He shot his head into the air and belched out a long gout bright green flame.

Everyone froze, jaws gapping at the spectacle before them as it continued on for a minute and cut off just as suddenly as it appeared. Green steam and smoke poured out of Genma's mouth like drool and spilled onto the floor, sending the spectators reeling away. The elder Saotome just coughed, shooting out blasts of brilliant flames as the Volus bartender decided enough was enough and ran away screaming.

Genma just snorted, sending out streams of fire out his nostrils and ignited some of the drinks on the table as the flames washed over them. Wrex not paying attention to all this and forgetting what he wanted to say reached for another glass and tossed it in his gaping maw. He chewed and chewed and chewed and swallowed broken glass with nothing to wash it down except his own alcohol filled blood.

To him, it was… _delicious._

Genma snorted again, sending out wads of flaming snot that burned through the table and into the steam/smoke covered ground like acid. Wrex laughed as he heard it sizzle and boil, slapping his knee with a free hand and dimly saw everyone running of their lives.

Water washed over them from sprinklers overhead as the fire alarm was triggered. Genma glared at it and extended a shaky hand. A dark, purple ball gathered on his palm tinted with green. He fired it and completely missed as the projectile veered left and right in long arcs and tore through the roof as if it were soggy paper instead of hard metal.

Wrex glared at Genma and looked at the offending sprinkler. He beat his fist against his chest, bringing out his biotics and shot out a warp blast and… hit a chair, right behind him, shredding it to ruined pieces.

He blinked and Genma slapped him from across the table and sent the Krogan sprawling to the floor. Wrex spat out a wad of blood and grasped his head, groaning. He looked up to see Genma's arm, bigger than he, grasped him and lifted in the air. Wrex struggled underneath the constricting pressure of Genma's massive hand, unable to free his arms as his legs dangled underneath him. And as his armor started to crack from the forces arrayed against it Wrex found himself flying through the air.

His mass effect barrier triggered from the sheer speed he was thrown at as he hit the wall, denting it with a krogan sized crater. Genma laughed as he watched Wrex sinking down into the floor, point at him with his comically oversized hand as it shrunk to normal sizes.

He waddled over; mouth still trailing colored smoke and steam. His eyes darted around the room and found it empty except for them. He scowled as he reached Wrex and weakly kicked him once, twice, and sent him flying into the circular bar on the third time as he failed to get up.

Genma huffed out a ball of flame and sniffed the smoky air. He examined his arms and legs, blinking as he did so and frowned.

When did he set himself on fire?

Shrugging, Genma ripped off his burning clothes, revealing his incredibly muscular, toned body in all its glory. There was no fat upon the elder Saotome, only dense muscle and abs stronger than any steel in existence. Smirking, Genma flexed, striking poses as sparkles sparkled around him.

He rolled his shoulders and scratched his back, thinking long and hard.

What should he do?

…

…

"i thkin, i'll look for my byo." Genma slurred as he started for the open door.


	5. Chapter 5

"You're either lying, or insane." Daro'Xen frowned with crossed arms as she gave Ranma a slow look up and down from the bench she was sitting on. She tilted her head to the side, "likely both."

Ranma shook his head lightly with closed eyes as he stood, leaning against the railing with shoulders resting on its cold metal. It was the only thing separating him from taking a plunge into the clear lake below. He opened his eyes into narrow slits, smirking. "That's the truth, and the only truth."

Xen balled her hands into fists. "I've read your history, and none of what you mention matches up or even _mentioned_!" She stated, jabbing a finger underneath Ranma's chin.

"I know, right? They cut out all the fun stuff!" Ranma chuckled. Xen rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to palm her helmet.

"This isn't a joke you know. And I know you're not lying either." She stated.

"And how do you know that?" Ranma asked, slowly raising an eyebrow.

"You have a horrible poker face, anyone can tell when you're lying, Ranma." Xen answered, electing a scowl from the human teen. She smirked as Ranma grumbled to himself and pressed on. "You're very expressive, just like your father."

"Am not!" Ranma snapped.

Xen continued as if he said a word. "It's difficult for you to hide your emotions isn't it?"

"I can do it just fine." Ranma huffed, crossing his arms.

Xen chuckled as she watched the ponytailed teen flustered face contort into a variety of expressions before settling on another scowl and looked away. And she felt a shiver crawl down her spine as Ranma chuckled darkly a moment later, rubbing his hands in glee. Ranma suddenly stopped and looked at her with shut eyes and a slight, cheerful smile.

"…What were you thinking?" Xen asked a tense moment later.

Ranma raised a single finger to his lips and opened one eye. "Now that's, a secret."

For some inexplicable reason Xen felt the urge to sock him in the face. "More so than usual," She muttered, and glared at Ranma. He only smiled that same smile that tore at her self-control.

Ranma looked away, eyes circling around the area they were in. No one was around save for them, though a familiar itch told them that they were being watched. It was as plain as day to him. His senses told him that it's a human female. He didn't know where she was specifically, only a general direction.

It wasn't threatening, like a predator stalking his prey but more of an observing presence, as one would when discovering something new. Briefly, Ranma wondered if he should find her but she'd break and run.

Ranma sighed, and turned back to Xen. It was times like these he wished he had the senses of the Old man. Sure his was advanced for his age, but it still wasn't on Genma's level. And as he regarded Xen, Ranma thought, _Should I tell her?_

"Yes?" Xen spoke up in a drawl.

"How close are we to the human section of the Citadel again?" Ranma asked, blinking.

"Not that far, I presume. We should be close." Xen answered as she activated her omni-tool. A orange, holographic map that appeared over her arm and she took once glance at it before it winked out.

"So, we're close right?" Ranma asked, leaning over Xen's shoulder. She jumped, surprised, and caught her shriek as she leapt out of her seat. Ranma pulled away, chin grazing her shoulder. Xen whirled around and pressed a finger against his chest. Ranma chuckled. "Let's go?"

Xen stalked away without a word and Ranma followed, quickly catching up and as he passed… did nothing. Alerting Xen might tip off their stalkers, and besides, they were heading straight her anyhow.

He only had to go forward.

* * *

"PPPPANTSSSS!" Genma Saotome roared, spewing green fire from his mouth. He shook his fists high in the air as he leapt from the violently swearing sky-car he stood on and crashed into the metallic roof of a house four stories below. He burst through, feet first, cratering and crumpling the metal floor as he landed and shook the entire room with its vibrations.

Genma pointed at the non-descriptive man, knocked on his ass. Said man stared at the large, naked man incomprehensibly, blinking once, twice and swallowed as he took in his new, ruined surroundings. And before he could say anything Genma slurred.

"can fi hzave your pjants?"

Again he blinked and Genma raised high in the air a leg and stomped, _hard_. The floor shook as if there were an earthquake. It split, tearing itself in two and crumpled inward, spilling its contents into the floor below.

He shouted, nearly screaming as he reached wildly for anything as he slid down the newly formed hole. And grasped a thin, twisted piece of metal and hung on for dear life. He looked at his right to see Genma, staring at him blankly as he stood on the side of the holes wall, stretching out his hands.

"pjants. I awntz dem." Genma slurred, smiling like a loon.

Martin swallowed, doing just that as he heard the sound of C-sec sirens heading his way and felt the urge to cry.

Why him?

* * *

Ranma Saotome whistled, hands behind his head, chin tilted to the artificial sky above. To his side was Xen, who looked straight ahead, ignoring all the suspicious, almost hostile looks from a few idiot aliens they passed by.

Honestly, Ranma couldn't get what all the quarian hate was about. Xen was alright in his book, and the mistake her race made happened centuries ago. And even then all the Geth did after their rebellion was to isolate themselves from the entire galaxy. There was no 'kill all meat bags' crusade, like what usually happened whenever a robot rebellion happened in Europa.

Heck, from what Xen told him the Quarians were struggling just to make ends meet.

Ranma sighed, and shook those thoughts from his head. He might lose track of the girl following him. She was close, he could feel it. She hadn't noticed he knew he had turned the game around. It was he who was the hunter, and she his prey.

Ranma snickered, earning a look from Xen. He waved her off and motioned her to continue. The Quarian shook her head quietly and did so as Ranma extended his senses behind him. That is where she was, hiding amongst the sporadic crowds as she stalked after him, quietly moving from place to place. She kept a distance of ten meters at least and always within her line of sight.

Ranma was surprised no one but he noticed her blatantly obvious attempts at following him. Was she trying to get caught? Or was she just an amateur at the stalker business?

"Hopefully the latter," He whispered in a low voice only he could hear, suppressing a shiver. Things tend to happen whenever someone approaches him. Like quests and stuff like that. And he really didn't want to deal with those things right now.

But ignoring the problem won't stop it at all, it might make things worse and they were near the human dominate section of the Presidum. He could spot a few System Alliance personal here and there, doing important business and such. Ranma couldn't care less what they were doing. He was busy thinking about his little stalker.

Ugh, what should he do?

"Thinking about something?" Xen asked, looking at him. Ranma only nodded and she hummed to herself, considering what to say next and decided to be blunt about it.

"Mind telling me?"

"I think… I'll show you." Ranma said as a man passed in-between them and Xen blinked.

He was gone! Vanished before her eyes!

"Where did you go, Ranma?" She muttered, searching in circles. There was no sign of the ponytailed teen anywhere. Only people going about their business as if they didn't notice Ranma's disappearing act.

Someone tapped Xen's shoulder. She whirled around to see Ranma, carrying… an unconscious young human girl. She looked to be twelve with fair, clear skin and long black hair, wearing a white shirt and pants. She looked just like a doll, like one of the one's she used to perform surgery on in her childhood.

Xen briefly smiled before banishing it as she regarded Ranma with a questioning look. It was hidden behind her helmet but her posture sent the necessary signals as Ranma sighed.

"…She was following us." He explained, gently hosting her over his shoulder and motioned her to follow him.

"You knocked out a girl." Xen stated as they made their way to a small park unused by anyone. She could feel a few stares boring into her back and ignored them as did Ranma, who stared into the sky above, not bothering to reply.

Xen shook her head as they reached the park. And as Ranma set the girl against the trunk of a tree with great care she repeated, "You knocked out a girl."

"I tapped her pressure point." Ranma denied, rising and turned to Xen in one smooth motion and frowned.

"I don't even know what that is, but you still knocked her out." Xen pressed, crossing her arms.

"Why do you even care?" Ranma huffed, doing the same and scowled as Xen chuckled at the change of subject. He rolled his eyes. "Are you done yet?"

"_Maybe_," Xen answered slowly, savoring the irritated look on Ranma's face. He gave a brief glare and turned around, walking back towards the sleeping girl and crouched down.

"I'm going to wake her up." He stated without looking back. "And find out why she's following me."

"Go on ahead." Xen said, walking up to Ranma's side as he gave a sharp tap on the back of the girl's neck with a finger glowing blue with Ki.

Her eyes snapped open, immediately focusing in on Ranma as she gasped, drinking in big gulps of air. Ranma pressed a finger near her lips, hushing her to stay quiet. She nodded, regarding the teen infront of her with a pleasant smile and Ranma uttered a small groan, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Xen tilted her head to the side, confused and frowned "What just happened?"

Ranma didn't reply and tore his hand away from his nose. He rested his arms on his knees as he regarded the girl infront of him with an annoyed look. "What's your name, and what do you want from me?"

The girl rose, and carefully scanned her surroundings once before looking back at Ranma. "You're the one from the video. Ranma Saotome?" She whispered in an accent tinged with what could only be Australasian.

Ranma stared at her long and hard and sighed. "...Yes."

"Well... I'm Miranda Lawson and I need your help."

"…What for?" Ranma asked, exhaling a slow breath as he rose till he was eye level.

She looked around again before leaning forward, whispering in his ear, "I'm being chased, and I need someone to guard me."

Ranma chewed the bottom of his lip for a second or two and tsked as he fully rose, extending his senses as far as he could. He stood straight and spun once around in a quick, full circle.

He ran his hands through his hair, yawning out, "No one's watching you…" He paused, tilting his head to the side for one long second and tilted back. He scratched his chin idly. "I don't sense anything. Did you lose them?"

"For now," Miranda answered, nearly flinching as Ranma stared at her again.

"Who's chasing after you?"

"My father, he's after me and he wants to kill me."

Ranma raised both eyebrows and worked his mouth reply but only came out with a flat, "…What?"

"..Are you joking?" Xen asked at the same time, in evident disbelief.

Miranda slowly shook her head. "No, I'm not. My father wants to kill me."

Xen shook her head and paused mid-way as she saw Ranma's dark expression. "…Don't tell me you believe her."

"As far as I can tell she isn't lying," Ranma growled, rising up.

"She's a kid-"

"And she's telling the truth." Ranma cut Xen off before she could say anything else. He turned, a bright blue aura enveloping him and stared at the Quarian. "I know she is, call it a gut feeling

She threw her hands in the air. "Fine, whatever, when nothing happe-"

**_"I AM PANTS! HEAR ME ROAR!"_**

Everyone froze as Genma Saotome's scream echoed throughout the Presidum followed up by a shrill of a song without rhyme or reason, grating on the ears of all who listened as they looked up. The sirens of C-sec response cars came a second later and added to the chaos of sounds.

About half a kilometer away was a sky truck, wreathed in green fire mixed in with a dark purple glow. Atop it was…

"God damn it, Old man!" Ranma groaned, rubbing his temples as he closed his eyes and opened them again, praying for something else to greet his sight.

There was no change. Atop the sky-truck stood Genma, dancing in circles, bottle in hand naked except for a pair of near-skin tight pants and his ever-present white bandana. Both of which were on fire and both of which were ignored. Ranma sighed, wondering who was driving the flaming metal death trap he looked at the front window, narrowing his eyes to see a non-descriptive man at the driver's seat with crazed, blood-shot eyes and gibbering mouth.

The response cars were unable to catch up to the sky-truck as every time they came closer Genma spewed out gouts of multi-colored fire straight out of his mouth. Ranma wondered why they weren't firing with their top side turrets and found his answer a moment later as Buben's sky-car came into view, leading the response cars in the furious chase.

"Blasto's doing?" Ranma muttered, looking at each side to see a stupefied Miranda and Xen still staring at the fading sky-truck. He sighed, palming his face and cursed silently. Spread both arms wide, He snapped his fingers as they reached Xen and Miranda's faces.

They snapped to attention and stared back at Ranma, looking for an explanation. Xen more so than Miranda, who looked lost at this turn of events.

"I have no clue what's up with the Old man and I don't want to find out." He answered truthfully, "I'm sure he'll be fine, he can take care of himself."

They quietly stared at him not at all convinced.

Ranma scowled, crossing his arms. "Don't be like that, I know him better than you two, he'll be fine!" And seeing their unwavering expressions the pony-tailed martial artist huffed and looked away. "…Fine, I'll find him and save him from himself."

"You're not going to bring us?" Xen asked, frowning.

"Think you can keep up?" Ranma asked, shaking his feet one at a time.

"…We could take a sky-car."

"You could, I'm faster on foot." Ranma smirked, jumping up and down. He looked at Miranda for a brief second and back at Xen. "In fact, why not do that. Just keep an eye out for her."

"Whatever. Fine, just hurry back." Xen said, shooing Ranma off.

He smiled and looked at Miranda. "You fine with that?"

She stared at Ranma for one long second and nodded, feeling a gust of wind as Ranma took off, vanishing before her eyes.

Xen sighed. "Come on, let's go. We see something interesting if we catch up."

* * *

Orders and shouts to stand down were mixed in with slurred song, insults as the sky-car chase above the presidium continued its fast and furious pace.

"Alarming Question: Blasto, do you have any clue on how we're going to stop this chase without it ending in a shootout?" Buben said as the hanar spectre turned sky-car turned in a wide arc, doing the same as its target, a flaming sky-truck.

"We only have to wait." Blasto answered, "It's sure of it."

"Depressing sigh: You might, but C-sec might not be thinking the same thing. You can't hold them back forever." Buben shook his form ever so slightly. "Question: How much longer do we have to wait?"

"This one does not know." Blasto admitted, pushing the sky-car down as the hanar took it into a dive. Buben emitted a low groan as a stream of green fire trailed after them and barely missed them, kissing the cars behind as it accelerated suddenly. Fire warnings and alarms triggered and were quickly shut off by Blasto.

"Whistling: That was close, it almost got us." Buben commented.

"We are lucky that the drunkard Genma fire is nowhere near as fast as him." Blasto and suddenly swerved the car to the side as a stream of fire struck from above. The hanar didn't need to look. It knew that Genma was standing underneath the car, sticking to its surface as if it were ground.

The sky-car accelerated, overtaking the speeding sky-truck and dodged another stream that chased after them.

"Concerned Question: Will he ever stop spewing fire?" Buben asked.

"Only when his alcohol blood level starts decreas-"

+Blasto, we're going in now, while the human's distracted!+ A filtered voice interrupted over the com-channel.

"Negative Chief, we got this handled." Blasto replied, weaving the sky-car up and down, braking and accelerating as a barrage of green fireballs the size of human head streaking towards them in low arcs. Narrowly, they missed and Blasto thanked the Enkindlers for Genma's bad aim, thrown off because of his current state of being.

+You're barely hanging on there! Don't think we didn't see that!+ The volus stated, in-between inhales from his suit's gas rebreather.

"We'll be fine; please don't interfere with Spectre work." Blasto responded, taking the sky-car in another dive, following after its target just off to the side. The two vehicles were soon lined up, neck and neck. Each furiously struggled to outpace its counterpart.

+The Council will hear about this!+ The Volus angrily threatened, inhaling as he did.

"This one has been meaning to speak with them anyways, Chief." Blasto replied, giving off a smug glow and shifted colors. "Are you ready?"

"Redundant Question: I still say we should fire our guns, damn it." Buben paused, as if to sigh and slowly nodded. "Badassfully: I was born ready, let's do this."

Elcor's form was wreathed in a purple glow as he readied his biotics and the door to his side opened, lifting itself up. Buben focused and slightly shifted to the side, a warp blast forming as he did and shot out, hitting the door to the trunk, contorting and shredding it. The truck veered away, to the right as the ruined door ripped off, spinning in the air as it shot off into parts unknown.

They followed, door closing and accelerated, easily catching back up to the truck with their superior speed. Buben looked out of his window, seeing the many buildings, stacked atop of each other in layers pass by in a blur and he knew why Genma didn't respond to their attack.

He was attacking someone else, and failing greatly. Buben watched fireballs and streams of fire of various colors being dissipated by a blue blur hopping across the buildings, striking at each with a spinning blue blur. The elcor couldn't make it out, it was too fast for his eyes, and he could only see the after images and guessed it was a staff of some sort.

"It seems, we have help," Buben spoke up.

"Ranma?"

"Smug statement: Who else could it be?" Buben answered, still watching father and son fight. Neither gained an edge of the other, it was a stalemate.

"Shall we help him then?" Blasto asked knowingly.

"Of course, move it, Spectre."

* * *

Ranma Saotome barred his teeth in a grin as another fire ball came streaking towards him and tore it in two with a swing, dissipating it with a swing from his staff, a former sign post ripped from the ground, infused with his Ki. He got it just before he took to the roofs and cut its sign off with a quick knife.

The ponytailed martial artist quickly struck down a pair of fireballs as he spun his staff and pressed forward, slowly closing the distance between him, the flaming truck and Genma, who kept grinning stupidly.

Ranma could move faster, wanted to move faster but he couldn't. He'd outpace Genma's attacks and they might set fire to the buildings. It was a small chance as they were all made of metal, but it was a chance none the less. And he didn't want to heap anymore trouble to the already growing list of problems they were causing.

Ugh.

"Just what in the nine hell did you drink, and how much of it, Old man!?" Ranma shouted, dissipating more fireballs and rolled his eyes as Genma just pointed and laughed out something in a slur. He couldn't make heads or tails of it and he bit his lip, anger rising. He tightened the grip on his staff, warping Ki reinforced metal as he swung it three times, destroying large man-sized fireball.

A wave of searing heat and green flame splashed over him as a sharp horn blared to Ranma's left side. He patted out the small fires off his clothes and hair with a free hand, hissing in pain. And as he did eyes quickly darted to the sounds source and saw Buben's sky-car, blacked and charred from repeated attacks. It quickly closing in as it angled towards him.

"This is going to be fun," Ranma smirked as he chuckled, easily realized their plan. His legs tensed, glowing brighter as he channeled more Ki into them, drawing upon his irritation and frustration at his Old man as fuel. And he leapt from the buildings edge, streaking towards the car as soon as they were within ten meters. A steady stream of fire trailed after him, and broke upon hitting his spinning staff.

Ranma landed on the cars center, denting the roof as he did and anchored himself in place with Ki. The arm he was holding the staff in throbbed with pain as flesh sizzled and cooked in his hand. The staff was heated red from blocking the repeated fire attacks. And the only reason it wasn't melting because of all the Ki he channeled into it.

Ranma cursed as the sky-car accelerated, moving away from the roofs and closed the distance between them and the flaming truck. The car went to the sides, drifting in a tight arc, and avoiding more fireballs. Each one seemed smaller, weaker than the last.

"Losing gas, Pops?" Ranma boomed, arms wide, still smirking. "Why don't you come at m-"

Genma Saotome leapt from the truck as it started to swerve and dive. Its engines stuttering out as the green flames that covered it finally took their toll.

Ranma didn't pay attention to anything else as he swung his staff, its length extending as it slid down his hand. Genma caught it with a single hand, still in the air without even batting an eye and spun. Ranma let go of the staff before his father ripped out of his hand, dashing back till he was near the cars edge. He ducked underneath a spinning staff swing and instantly shot up, fist rising in an uppercut, smacking into Genma's stomach as he passed over.

The air boomed as meat hit meat and Genma gasped, still spinning. Pain partially lifted the drunken haze he was in and a bit of coherent thought returned. He blinked once; quickly assessing the situation he was in and did the only sensible thing he knew of.

Genma tightened his grip on the staff, purple Ki flooding in and stabbed forward, spearing the roof of the sky-car. It anchored him in place as his body rocketed back from the force of Ranma's uppercut, preventing it from being sent flying. The elder Saotome gritted his teeth as Ranma followed up with blur of fists, each smacking into his stomach, focusing on the same spot as the first strike.

Genma grunted, taking it all in like the man he was and attacked. Twisting, free hand snaking to Ranma's left arm and grasped it in a steel grip. Genma spun, ditching the staff and took his son with him as they twirled in the air.

Ranma cursed, feeling the bones in his left arm creak underneath Genma's monstrous grip as they hanged together mid-air. Briefly, the raven haired teen watched Buben's disappear beneath them as he attacked with a flurry of fists from his free hand, each attack slapped away by Genma. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the sky-car blasting off as it out-paced their temporary passengers.

Ranma cursed again, ripping out his trapped hand and struck with greater fury, with fists, shoulder, knee and leg as Genma matched him blow for blow. They fell through the air, their descent slowed as they fought, and flared battle auras of blue and purple mixing in with each other. The Saotome's altered their weight with Ki, till they were seemingly as light as feathers despite the impossibility of it.

Quickly, their fall turned into a float as Ranma and Genma skillfully used each other's movements to remain in the air for as long as possible. The Saotome side of Anything-Goes specializes in mid-air combat and these two practitioners were masters of their art.

Father and son fought as equals, the playing field was leveled. Genma couldn't bring his full skill and might to bear, as intoxicated as he was, and overwhelm Ranma. And Ranma dragged the fight out, despite his consciousness arguing against it. He needed this; he needed a full spar against Genma. It's been too long since the last one and every single fight up till now has been less than satisfying.

Ranma grinned like an animal, eyes crazed with pent up battle lust that stared straight into Genma's own eyes, the drunken haze that once overtook them now lifted as adrenaline shocked them sober. The Sky-truck that Genma once stood on crashed behind them, nearly a hundred meters away, into an artificial lake. A screaming figure leaping out of it a second before it did.

They ignored it all, exchanging hundreds of blows with every passing second, and each one unable to break past their respective guard. And they ignored the ever growing crowd of spectators as they finally landed atop a bridge after minutes of mid-air combat. Still, they fought, seeing only the others actions and thinking only to countering them.

And they dashed back, danger senses flaring as a streak of blue light tore through the air and into the metal ground, a cry of a sniper round soon following.

"Freeze! In the name of the law and Citadel Security I order you to stand down and surrender!" A Turian, wearing black medium armor lined with blue screamed at the end of the bridge, aiming an assault rifle at the pair of martial artists.

Ranma could only catch his breath, hands resting on his knees as sweat dripped down on the bridge from his chin. He blinked and looked over his shoulder as more C-Sec officers, nearly three dozen. A force comprised of mainly turians with a few asari and salarians here and there raced in on both sides of the bridge, leveling a mixture of assault rifles and shotguns, tense fingers coiled around their triggers. Response cars came in soon after, surrounding them from all sides, top-side turrets whirling towards them.

Ranma glanced at Genma, who was… naked, as what little remained of his pants and bandanna fell to the floor in burnt, tiny pieces. He blinked and distinctly remembered that they were still on fire during their clash. Ranma sighed, wanting to palm his face but that might start off a firefight. He sighed again and slowly raised his hands, watching Genma do the same a second later.

"Couldn't you find some decent pants," Ranma whispered quickly in a voice only his father could hear as C-Sec forces cautiously advanced, continuing to scream at them to stand still.

"Nothing could fit me." Genma sniffed, replying in the same low tone.

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Think we can escape?"

"Yes, easily, but it might be best if we let them arrest us for now." Genma suggested.

"That's rich coming from you." Ranma snorted in silence. "Why can't we run?"

"It'll be harder for us to get out of here if we do." Genma shrugged. "...Think you're spectre friend will help us out?"

"…I only hope so." Ranma muttered as C-Sec officers proceeded with their arrest.

* * *

"Ugh, what the hit me?" Urdnot Wrex slurred, pushing himself off the ruined table, leaving a krogan shaped imprint on it as he crawled away. He grunted, planting his hands on the leather seat infront of him and pushed again, tearing it open as he rose and stumbled. Stars and bright and dark lights twirled and spun, dancing and giggling.

Wrex shooed them away as he swerved from side to side as the ground seemed to rock back and forth, cradling the adult krogan like a mother does her baby. He snorted and the room started to spin. He slowly saw countless drops of water twist and spiral as they gushed out of the sprinklers above. He witnessed the plumes of green smoke circle round and round, speared through by the droplets of water.

And Wrex realized one thing as he waddled towards the circular bar, steading himself as he gripped it hard.

He had a hangover, he was hungry, and a damned human beat his ass in a contest of drinks, with ryncol of all things. Wrex shook his head or nodded, he couldn't tell but it did little to dispel… anything.

The krogan battlemaster growled, and his stomach growled with him. He rolled his shoulders, feeling his heavy armor screech its protests from all the damaged it incurred. Wrex couldn't remember what caused it, his memory was still coming back, but he had a good guess as to whom.

"Genma," He said slowly, tasting the human's name, savoring it like one would an excellent meal. And he repeated it once more, then again and finally chuckled, grinning as he did. He breathed in, twin hearts thundering in his chest and slammed his fists on the metal bar, denting it in and left an inch-sized imprint.

Wrex stalked off to the door, stumbling and slipping on the water slick floor. He had one thing on his mind as he left the abandoned bar.

"A varren sandwich," He grumbled with a watering mouth, "and then Genma Saotome."


	6. Chapter 6

The Council Chambers, the main feature of Citadel Tower. It is home to the Citadel Council, the governing body of the Citadel, a group with three members. This powerful trio is comprised of one each from the three major races of the galaxy. The Asari, the Salarians, and the Turians, and though they have no official power over independent governments of other species their decisions affect events on a galactic scale.

And now they are in session, a private, closed meeting. The normally packed Council Chambers has been emptied for this occasion, leaving only its guards, a certain hanar spectre and the Council itself.

"My, my, just what have you brought us this time, Blasto?" Tevos, the asari councilor, smiled faintly as she watched a video stream from the terminal she stood behind as were her two fellow councilors on their own personal terminals. Both of which were engrossed with what they were witnessing.

"Only what this one and a great deal of the Presidium, and much of C-Sec witnessed yesterday," Blasto answered, floating atop audience platform that partially extended over the chasm that separated that the three Councilors stood behind.

"Ah yes, that incident." Spartacus, the turian councilor, spoke up, eyes never leaving the holographic screen infront of him as he raised his arms. "We have… found it to very interesting to say the least, especially the fight between the two." He paused, tilting his head fractionally, and tapped a key on his terminal. Eyes narrowed, focusing in, mandibles widened fractionally as he muttered, "just how fast were they fighting?"

"Just below the sound barrier, nearly passing it at some parts," Dorden answered, rapidly taking notes on a data-pad. He was the salarian councilor, wearing fine black robes with a baggy hood covering his head, darkening his features slightly.

"Spirits," Spartacus breathed. His eyes flicked over to Blasto. "And this all due to the energy they used, Ki was it?"

"Yes, Ranma Saotome and his father, Genma both say it's the energy of life itself. They say that they draw upon this energy generated within their own bodies, using it to enhance their bodies' functions to incredible degrees, vastly increase their lifespans and generate a variety of different attacks." Blasto explained.

"And there were no biotic implants within them or traces of element zero detected within their… bodies when they underwent a medical scan." Tevos stated, frowning as she intensely examined a biological report of the Saotome's. "Or any source of where they generate this energy."

"Are they truly even human?" Spartacus asked, examining the same thing she was. "I've studied biological graphs of the human body before and I've never seen anything like this. Muscle and bone density are off the charts, their metabolism surpasses a salarians and even their organs are incredibly resilient to damage, else the sheer g-forces they fight at would pulp them."

"And there are no signs of genetic modification either. Everything about them is natural, as if they were born that way." Dorden added, fascinated by the sight before him. "And they said that they accomplished all through…"

"Martial Arts, one of the human schools of melee combat. The school they said to practice is called Anything-Goes." Blasto added.

"Anything-Goes? An interesting name and concept… it's a very _human_ way of thinking." Spartacus commented, a slight amused tone infecting his usually stoic voice. "What they do with melee combat is again, incredible and should be downright impossible. But it isn't, apparently." His paused again, deep in thought and stared at Blasto. "How long have they been training in this form of combat?"

"For Ranma, ever since he was six and as for the father, this one doesn't know." Blasto answered, "He hasn't been forth coming in any information about him personally."

"The Systems Alliance doesn't have anything on them either. They don't exist in any records, up till now. It's as if they appeared out of nowhere." Dorden stated, rubbing his chin with a tri-digit hand and quickly scanned his data-pad. "They first appeared on the Omega space-station of all things, with no hint on how they got there. A true mystery."

"One of many surrounding that station in recent times," The Tevos said, eyes flickering over to the hooded Salarian. "…Is it true that there has been a Geth sighting over there?"

He nodded. "Yes, I've just confirmed it just this morning." He frowned. Face contorting into a puzzled expression. "And what the STG operatives over there have said troubles me deeply. They say that the Geth ship, a scout class vessel deposited a single male human and left to parts unknown, likely back to the behind the Veil."

The silence was deafening.

"Surprising, isn't it?" He smiled humorlessly as he looked at his fellow councilors and turned back to his terminal.

"The System Alliance-"

"Knows nothing, calm yourself, Spartacus. The humans aren't always the fault of everything." Dorden interrupted, lines of worry etched in on his face. He sighed, closing his eyes. "They have no clue what's happening… At least from what I've managed to find out. It's still ongoing and you know they'll deny anything if we've confront them about it."

"Hmm, likely, but still their expansionistic policies are worrying. They just won't stop" Spartacus nodded. "What about the human the Geth dropped off? Did you manage to catch him?"

Dorden's frown deepened. "The reports say that when they tried the human… literally vanished as he turned a corner in one of Omega's many alleyways. They can't find him anywhere."

"Do the Quarians know anything about this?" Tevos asked.

"Not yet, but word will reach them soon and when it does…" Dorden trailed off, giving off a knowing, frustrated look to everyone taking part of this meeting.

"Things will get hectic to say the least of our worries." Spartacus mandibles widened and lowered slightly, a frown.

Everyone nodded.

"Though the Geth are definitely a topic worthy of discussion, This One requests that we go back to our previous discussion, about the Saotome's and how we shall deal with them." Blasto spoke up, taking advantage of the evident break in topic.

"And what do you say, Blasto?" Tevos asked, unconcerned with the change in topic.

"This One suggests that we release them from their C-Sec cells before they do anything rash, and try to escape. C-Sec can't hold them if they choose to do so."

"And then what? This energy of theirs, Ki needs to be studied, documented and learned. It could change the face of many things we know of. It could, likely will be very big as going by what you've said in your report Blasto that anyone could learn Ki." Dorden smiled faintly. His worries flying away as he continued to talk more about the Saotome's.

He chuckled. "It's not every day an entirely new branch of science is discovered." and settled his gaze on Blasto. "Ranma, he's teaching the quarian, Daro'Xen about Ki right?"

"Yes, she just started, though she hasn't made any notable progress." The hanar answered.

"As fascinating as I also find this for entirely different reasons, it's very likely the Systems Alliance will take in the Saotome's for themselves and try to figure out their secrets. We can't keep them locked up in C-Sec forever and the humans will do everything in their power to get them out." Spartacus tapped a few keys on his terminal, opening up another report, sharing it with his fellow councilors, who quickly read its contents.

He waited patiently, clasping his talon-tipped hands behind his back and continued as they finished. "From what you told us Blasto they are trying to get back to Earth for personal reasons. If they do the Systems Alliance will hold them there for an indefinite amount of time for any number of reasons till they get what they want."

"Truly, it'll be a sad fate to befall them." Tevos shook her head slowly and stared at the others. "Are there any suggestions to solve this particular dilemma?"

Dorden hummed to himself as he thought and said, "how about an Asari mind-meld?"

"Who would be the one to do it?" Tevos asked, "That is if they agree to it."

"Spectre Tela Vasir?" Dorden threw out.

"A possibility, I'll check to see what she's up to," Tevos promised and glanced at Blasto. "What is it you suggest, Spectre?"

"This One suggests Spectre candidacy for at least one of the Saotome's. Particularly Ranma, though both will be best. And It shall be their mentor for their assessment." Blasto stated, earning surprised looks from all three Councilors.

"…Are you certain of this?" Spartacus asked after a few seconds to digest what was just said.

"Without a doubt, Ranma and Genma aren't affiliated with the Systems Alliance, and granting them a chance to attain Spectre status should prevent most attempts to keep them away from the galaxy at large. The human government wouldn't pass up the chance for one, possibly two human spectres. And their incredibly unique skills will do wonders in preserving galactic stability."

"Their combat skills yes, but it takes more than being a good fighter to be a Spectre." Spartacus said, staring hard at Blasto. "The human teen, Ranma has the potential for it, I can tell. His father however…" He shook his head. "Too irresponsible, I'll vote down any attempts for his candidacy."

"He was _severely_ drunk at the time. We have conformation that he downed ten full shots of ryncol and possibly more before C-Sec apprehended him."

The Turian stared hard at his Salarian counterpart. "…Ten? …Interesting, he should be dead already. Alcohol of that potency should never be consumed in large quantities. Even krogan can't handle more than five or four shots."

"I take it that you tried it once?" Dorden asked with a light, joking voice.

"Once, when I was young and foolish," Spartacus answered, smiling as his mandibles spread out slightly.

"Do you still?"

"Sometimes… after a hard day," Spartacus admitted and shrugged. "Maybe after this," he paused for a moment, raising his head up and settled it back down. "Care to join me, Dorden?"

"Possibly, after I sort out a few things." He sighed heavily, lowering his data-pad to the side.

"Of course," Spartacus nodded politely and turned back to Blasto. "However, I'm still standing by my position."

"As you wish, Councilor," The hanar spectre replied.

"There'll still be an uproar over this, no matter what if we go public with this." Tevos stated, rubbing her forehead.

Everyone nodded again.

"Hmm, shall we take a break and recommence this session two hours from now?" Spartacus suggested, looking at the other councilors. They each silently agreed and he looked back at Blasto. "Spectre, you may free the Saotome's from C-Sec custody, but keep them close and don't let them out of your sight. We'll contact you about our final decision later on."

"This one will be pleased to do so." Blasto lowered its form slightly, the hanar equivalent of a bow and floated away. As the spectre did, the Councilors glanced at one another, exchanging knowing looks and took off. Though each was thinking on different things they all had one important thought in common.

The Geth, just what were they up to?

* * *

"Hey, Pops." Ranma Saotome called, staring straight at the floor as he dangled on his prison cells ceiling like a resting bat, held on by his two big toes. Sweat dripped down as his brow furrowed in concentration from maintaining a steady stream Ki to anchor himself in place. It was an exercise in balance and control. One of many he'd been practicing ever since he'd been thrown here by C-Sec yesterday.

Genma didn't reply, couldn't reply as he was deep in meditation within the cell next door. He was on his knees, hands resting atop their joints as he faced the cell door with closed eyes, and a straight back. There were no movements and Ranma faintly heard his father's quiet breathing through his nose as a tight, dark purple aura hugged his grey bodysuit.

They were prisoner clothes, one C-Sec immediately gave Genma to wear once they were in custody. Ranma wore one too, not that he wanted too but they were already in enough trouble already. He sighed, nearly bored out of his mind. Training was fun and all but even someone like him had limits. And he was quickly reaching them, far faster than usual.

"Stupid cops, stupid Old man," Ranma muttered darkly, crossing his arms. His blood was still pumping from yesterday's fight, and he really wanted to finish it. He scowled at anything and everything within his sight. "Man, I wish the future would be filled with cool and awesome fights with cyborgs, robots and giant mecha."

Ranma bit his lip, released it and exhaled a long breath and wondered.

_Is there __**anyone**__ out there who can give me a decent fight?_

* * *

"Damned Graboids! Why can't they leave me alone!? Go bother someone else!" Ryoga Hibiki screamed as he ran, full tilt across a sandy, arid wasteland with various ruins of metal objects and large vehicles half-sunken into the inhospitable earth.

The sand shifted tens of meters infront of the lost boy, who cursed and rapidly turned as a massive worm burst forth. It towered over Ryoga, flaying a pair of arms; each tipped with long talons the size of telephone poles. A fringe of many tentacles dangled over its jaw as its long blue, luminescent cone tongue flew through the humid dry, hot air in wild sweeps. The great worm bellowed out an earth-shaking roar, revealing a maw capable of devouring him whole.

It spat out a goblet of hissing green liquid at Ryoga, who easily dodged the slow moving projectile. As it hit the acidic attack begin eating deeply into the sand, making it sizzle and boil as greenish smoke poured out of the ever-increasing hole. Ryoga, not paying attention to any of this leaped over the remains of some long, giant six wheeled vehicle toppled to its side. As he landed he shot a quick look behind him and saw the graboid burrow back down.

Ryoga ran faster as the sand shifted both infront and behind him. He pulled out his heavy umbrella from the top of his oversized camping pack as he ripped away a number of yellow and black speckled bandannas and channeled green Ki into both.

And as the two leviathans burst out of the sand Ryoga, readying his attacks only asked.

"Why is Nevada always like this!?"

* * *

A mind made of a turbulent, chaotic sea of dark soda. Waves of carbonated water crashed and swelled to monstrous proportions as thick storm clouds spewed a heavy rain of white chocolate and belched out thunder and lightning made of yellow cheese. The air roared, blasting all in its wake with its sweet, sugar filled winds. Corn fish skipped across the sea snatched mid leap by pork sharks and grasped underneath the unrelenting claws of flying eggs.

And riding atop ship-sized ham sandwich was Genma Saotome with his hairy, muscular, manly chest straining as he pulled back, reeling in a line cast by his giant red fishing pole with both hands. Behind him, gripping the fishing rod, pulling just as hard as he did, was a red-headed beauty. A smiling woman with a katana strapped to her back, her shoulder-length hair blasted back against the fierce winds.

"Pull, Nodoka! Pull! For tonight we feast like Kings!" Genma screamed with a red, sweating face, straining himself further as his feet sunk into the toasted bread. His body rippled with a dark purple glow, channeling it into his fishing rod and into its straight line as it swayed violently underneath the waves.

"I'm trying!" Nodoka said, assisting her husband as best she could.

"I know! Watch out!" He warned as he leaned forward, letting the line slacken for a brief second and pulled back with all his might. Nodoka gasped, nearly releasing her grip as she saw a titanic beautiful fish as it was ripped away from the sea and into the air as it floundered in the air.

"I-is… that!?"

"Yes! Yes it is! The legends are true! It is the one and only," Genma gnashed his teeth, grinning madly. His eyes were wild and bestial, lit with a purple fire that did not burn and burst as his Ki ignited like jet fuel. "Madam Fish!" He yelled, laughing as he pulled again, sending the whale sized feminine fish streaking towards him.

"Oh, oh my," Nodoka breathed as her eyes shrunk to pinpricks as a massive shadow enveloped the boat sandwich as the Madam Fish came closer and closer. She tore her eyes away from the terrifying sight and focused in on Genma and calmed herself with a smile as she gazed upon his face, utterly fearless.

The burly man readied himself to catch his prize as he stabbed the fishing rod deep into toasted bread floor, piercing through it and into its ham filled center. He bent back; arms raised before him as he glared at Madam Fish as it approached face first, opening its toothless mouth. It's last, defiant attempt to prevent capture.

Genma only snorted and roared as the sandwich boat buckled and swayed underneath a swelling mass of water. He heard a yelp and felt dainty arms circle his chest. "Are you alright, Nodoka?" He asked without looking back.

"Yes!" She whispered in a near hiss, nearly coming out to be incomprehensible as she pressed her face against his back.

Genma shook his head as Ki circulated through his arms and into his hands. An outline of a giant, purple fork appearing on his left hand as it formed into a claw-like position. On his right, a giant knife as his hand straightened up. And behind him, holding these two deadly utensils was a massive panda, looming menacingly over all, even the Madam Fish, who froze in terror at the sight before it.

Licking his lips, Genma struck. He pierced its underbelly with fork as it fell on him, halting Madam Fish's descent completely. His feet sunk into the toasted bread floor, unable to hold his new weight as bright red, glistening blood spilled on to it. Genma grunted, not from the weight but from the strain of altering his and the now dead Madam Fish's weight with Ki till they were light enough to walk on the bread floor again.

He glanced behind him to see Nodoka's smiling face and felt her arms circling his neck and legs locked around his chest as she rested her chin on his shoulder. He smiled back, asking as he looked between his catch and her.

"Do you want all of it?"

Nodoka shook her head. "Half's enough for us."

Genma puffed his cheeks with air, and blew it out in a exasperated sigh. "Alright," and raised his knife high in the air and swung it down, bisecting the gigantic fish perfectly. Quickly, he caught both halves with two large Ki spoons as he cusped his hands infront of him.

Genma looked back again. "Do you want the head, or the tail?"

Nodoka hummed in thought as her eyes shot back between the both halves and pointed at the head a minute later. Genma nodded and chucked the tail end of the fish into the side of large wave as it reached the apex of its height and spilt it two.

They laughed as they watched it continue on till it was promptly swallowed whole by an ice dragon as it burst out of the sea and dived back in.

Genma turned away with Nodoka and the fish in tow and walked towards the center of their boat sandwich. Their mast was a large toothpick punctured through the entire vessel, holding it together. They had no flag, only a giant olive imbedded within the toothpick.

As they reached it Nodoka climbed off his back and ran ahead of him, till she was facing him. Genma stopped, raising a single eyebrow as all the chaos of the sea seemed to freeze, and slowly fade away as light broke through the clouds and shined upon husband and wife.

"Yes?" He asked and swallowed as she stared into his eyes, clutching her sheathed katana infront of her. "What is Nodoka?"

She opened her mouth as everything started to fade away into a white, spiraling void and, "I want you to-

Bright light and pain.

"Wake up, Pops! We're leaving!" Ranma all but shouted inches away from Genma's face as the world asserted itself into reality and a stinging sensation echoed from his cheek and into his head.

He winced, rubbing the cheek as it started to bruise and glared at his son, opening his mouth to retort and shut it back up as he remembered. Genma sighed heavily, pulling his glasses away and rubbed his forehead as he stared at for floor with shut eyes.

"…Something wrong?"

Genma sighed again as he rose and shook his head slowly as he opened his eyes and briefly glanced at Ranma. "Nothing, boy. Nothing you need to concern yourself with." He looked straight ahead to see Blasto waiting infront of their cell with two turian C-Sec guards flanking the hanar's sides.

He gave the spectre a short, quiet nod in thanks and strode for the open cell door. "Well, let's get going then. I'm hungry and I want some fish."

"…Is that what you meditated on all day? Food?" Ranma asked, raising an eyebrow as Genma glanced back, smiling mirthlessly.

"Something like that, you wouldn't understand."

"Try me." Ranma said, crossing his arms, eyes narrowing in a questioning glare.

"…" For a very, brief moment Genma considered telling his son and… shrugged.

"…Maybe later."

* * *

Daro'Xen shot a quick, nervous glance at the Krogan sitting patiently at her side on the long metal bench they were on, slowly munching on a sandwich of all things. There was a bag on his lap, filled with them and looking at them made her a bit hungry as she squirmed in her seat. She tore her gaze away as it drifted it down to the back, drumming her three fingers on her knees. She looked at him again, waiting for the Krogan to do something, anything as was a number C-Sec officers hanging around C-Sec Academy's circular waiting area.

Their assault-rifles were out, resting within their hands just waiting to be used. They observed the Krogan with tense eyes and an intimidating posture. Said Krogan ignored it all, as if it were an everyday thing. He even chuckled lightly as they pointed to him, whispering to their fellow officers. And Xen managed to pick up his name after a little while.

Wrex, Urdnot Wrex, an aged krogan battlemaster.

As Wrex finished his sandwich and helped himself to another she turned her head to the other side to see Miranda, smiling faintly as she went through a data pad's article about yesterday's incident. They managed to see the end of Ranma and Genma's fight, just before they were taken in by C-Sec. And though they couldn't perceive it, the sight still left her and Miranda breathless, even after it ended.

Even after-

Xen shook her head violently, shuddering and banished any further thoughts of Genma as-

**_"HE COMES! HE COMES! PANTSSSSSSS!"_**

Everyone froze and blinked, once, twice, and three times as a non-descriptive man wearing a pair of flaming pants as an impromptu hat burst through the waiting room. He screamed, ranting madly as he repeated the same message over and over again, foaming at the mouth with crazed eyes streaming a trail of black tears down his face. A half a dozen turian officers chased after him, straining themselves greatly as they fought to catch up.

Every officer immediately dropped what they were doing, yelling at the sprinting loon to freeze and halt, drawing weapons and joining in the pursuit. Xen only stared, tracking everything with a blank expression as Wrex choked on his sandwich from laughter as he clutched his chest.

And a data pad spun perfectly through the air, and hit the mad man straight on his temples. He dropped like an anvil, cut off mid-rant, eyes rolling back to his head and tackled by over a dozen officers just before he hit the ground. Xen blinked, at the dog pile and slowly looked to the side to see Miranda calmly sitting back down sans data pad.

"That was a good throw, girl." Wrex commented, leaning over and giving her a tooth filled smile.

Miranda shrugged, unfazed by the intimidating krogan and relaxed in her seat. Wrex sighed and went back to eating sandwiches. Xen just looked at each of them for several long seconds and shrugged, staying silent as the unconscious loon was dragged away, bleeding, bruised and burned from all his injuries, still grinning madly.

And there they waited for minutes on end. The only sounds were Miranda humming a tune to herself as Wrex ate his sandwiches. Xen, she only closed her eyes and breathed in and out in slow, steady motions with hands cusped infront of her, resting on her knees. Her heart beat slowed as she muttered a silent mantra she memorized word for word just like Ranma instructed, the first steps to awaken her Ki!

Light greeted her as she searched for her center deep within her mind, a massive, sprawling complex of labs filled thoughts and ideas converted and shaped into form. Around her were countless on-going experiments, all performed by copies of her with numerous geth as her obedient minions.

Xen smiled at it all, humming to herself. Though she'd been here only a few times the sight of her own mind will never go dull, no matter how many times she'll see it. She might still be a bit frustrated at not getting her Geth parts over at Omega.

_But learning Ki will more than make up for it. _Xen thought, hand holding her chin with its elbow cradled by her other hand as she sat down and into a leather chair slid behind her by a Geth servant. She shooed it away as she envisioned all she could do with Ki.

Now, more than ever she wanted to learn what Ranma knew! His father knew! About life! About Ki! It secrets, its power to break the laws of physics and make it, its bitch! She needed to know, had to know, must know! And then once she did, the _Geth will be-_

Toppled to the floor as Xen's eyes shot open, arms flaying for purchase as she found herself being thrown back as she spotted Wrex's arm bumping into her in his rush to leave. She yelped and felt a hand grasped her wrist.

"I got you." Miranda said, halting Xen's fall and pulled her back.

"Thanks," Xen muttered, steadying herself as Miranda let go and frowned, rising. Her eyes narrowed in a glare as she focused in on Wrex, marching towards-

"They're out?" Xen blinked as Ranma, Genma, Blasto came into view as they climbed up the steps leading into C-Sec Academy's prison cells.

And as Wrex approached, met by the stares of all within the waiting room, Genma's eyes hardened and he pulled away his glasses, handing to Ranma in-between two fingers. He rolled his shoulders and twisted his neck, working out the creaks.

"Don't worry boy, I've got this." Genma stated, grasping the folds of his new white Gi and puffed them out.

Ranma just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and snorted. "Whatever."

Genma didn't reply and strode towards Wrex, who waited in the center of the room.

Man and Krogan meet once more and eyed each other appraisingly and after a long, tense minute Wrex nodded, grunting.

"Genma."

"Wrex." The elder Saotome replied in the same manner.

They stared at one another again, exchanging silent replies lost on all who watched. There were neither words nor sounds uttered across the room, everyone waited for something to happen. Even Ranma, who watched on despite his irritation.

Then at once, in quick, synchronized motions Genma and Wrex clasped hands in front of their faces and gripped. Neither showed any sign of pain as they looked into each other's eyes and bumped glowing, purple fists. One burning with Ki, the other wreathed in biotics.

Again, they grunted, giving each other a hard nod and let go, turning around and striding away quietly.

Everyone blinked and life returned to the waiting room as they all went back to work.

"What the hell was that?" Ranma asked, palming his face as he glared at Genma in-between his fingers as he approached.

Genma snorted. "You'll find out boy, when you're old enough to drink."

"Legally," Ranma added in a mutter as he turned his head away and sighed. "Come on, let's eat, Old man." He said, motioning Genma to follow and he stalked forward as Xen and Miranda walked towards them.

Genma shrugged and leaned to the side, whispering. "Hey, Blasto, are you sure about paying for dinner? I'm warning you, I'm a big eater."

"This One can pay for whatever you order. Do not worry about cost." The hanar spectre answered confidently as it floated forward.

Genma _smiled._


	7. Chapter 7

"…I think… he's surpassed… his own body weight by this point." Someone said with absolute certainty, staring wide eyed at Genma, who let out a belch like a thunderclap.

Everyone reeled back from the disgusting sounds force as it rattled the long table, shaking its contents, a wide variety of delicacies from all across the galaxy. Both dextro and levo based foods lay strewed across the table, being hastily placed there by Asari waitresses, dressed in skimpy clothing as they raced to and fro from the bustling kitchen and table. And they watched, as did the tables occupants as Genma devoured the new dishes within his endless maw. The food literally vanished before their eyes, and the only one who could see it for what it was, was busy staring off into tavern's grey metal walls.

Ranma Saotome sighed, resting his cheek on a hand and idly sipped his fizzy drink through a straw. Ignoring all the food related chaos around him as he thought, and thought, and thought some more. Anything to distract him from his growing boredom as it loomed over his mind, enclosing in on it with every passing seconds.

He scowled at it as he caught a leg of roasted varren and chucked at Genma, who devoured it, bone and all a second later. Ranma didn't see it. He only sighed once more and glanced around the long table again, wishing for something different as loud music assaulted his ears.

Nothing changed.

Miranda was busy staring slack jawed at Genma, forgetting everything else as she took sight of him, food, and mouth. Not necessarily in that order. Xen was busy playing around with her omni-tool, fingers dancing across its holographic keyboard. Blasto conversed with a pair of asari twins, their cheeks burning indigo as they giggled and smiled at the hanar as it waved its tentacles in strange gestures and shape. One the twins sent a wink Ranma's way as she caught his eyes.

He blinked, staring at her for a few seconds and shrugged, waving back before looking somewhere else. Whatever Blasto was up to wasn't any of his business and the Old man wasn't do anything other than stuffing his mouth. So, his gaze settled on the elcor standing about a meter away, to his left, watching everything with the same expression Ranma was.

Or that's what he guessed. Elcor expressions were a bitch to figure out.

"Yo, Buben," Ranma called, leaning back against his chair and folded his hands across his chest.

"Yes, Ranma?" Buben answered, slowly turning around to face the younger Saotome.

"Wanna get out of here and get some fresh air?" Ranma asked, jerking a thumb over a shoulder. "This place is…" He sniffed, wrinkling his nose as a mixture of aromas from fresh, hot food as it entered in the room, the strange pheromones and scents of galaxies alien races, and the smell of alcohol as it was served to thirsty customers. "A bit stuffy in here," he finished, frowning.

Buben sniffed the air, and after a few seconds of digesting its information stared at Ranma. "Confirming Question: You have questions for me, don't you?"

Ranma scratched his head and shrugged. "Ya, guess I do, now that I think about it."

"Curious Question: Do you think your father will be alright, considering the last time you left him alone?" Buben asked, shooting a slow glance at Genma as his teeth tore into an exotic looking fish the size of a shark.

The elder Saotome ate it with gusto, finding it delicious as he did all things that greeted his mouth. He downed the meat with loaves of bread and long swigs from his glass mug, covered in foam and filled with root beer. A waitress stood to his side, holding a pitcher filled with root beer and shot nervous, frightened glances at Genma as he continued to feast.

Ranma shrugged. "As long as he remembers not go drink himself stupid, or… eats someone." He finished, giving Genma's personal server a small look of pity.

"Amused Question: Do you think he might?" Buben asked, looking at the scene in question.

"Maybe," Ranma answered, scratching his chin with a finger, and chuckled. "So, think Blasto can pay for all this?" He asked back, sweeping an arm across the table.

"Depressing Sigh: No, but Blasto doesn't need to anyways. The spectre always pays using some poor bastard's credit account." Buben answered, shaking his form ever so slightly.

Ranma winced. "And who is it this time?"

"No clue." The elcor paused, shooting a long glance around the large, circular room as Ranma felt a sudden unease.

His skin prickled as he too did the same as Buben, sensing hostile looks from the tarven's other patrons and tried identifying the source. Everyone within the room was staring at them, and had been ever since Genma loudly ordered everything on the menu when they took their seats. Many of them were still taking bets on how much Genma could eat before he kneeled over and Ranma could hear their wagers if he focused hard enough.

He heard other conversations as well as he focused his hearing away from the table and to the room at large. There, he heard chatter about politics and events alongside the usual barroom chatter. Much of what they were talking about was the big show Ranma and Genma made over at Presidum and pointed fingers at said people as they identified them.

"I think, we might have made a mistake coming here." Ranma muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. Buben looked back at him.

"Smug Guess: Too much attention?"

"The wrong kind of attention," Ranma countered, sighing and stuffed his hands in his pockets and rose silently as he glared at a table of batarians, who seeing his look got up and ducked for the door.

Ranma snorted as a massive plate, filled with a literal mountain of food burst through the kitchen doors, carried by three teams of asari waitresses. They slowly advanced to their table, steading the heavy plate with herculean effort as their faces strained with concentration. And seeing this Ranma moved towards them as the tip of Food Mountain swayed back and forth.

He caught the plate, just before the waitresses collapsed, stretching his arms to their limits. Ranma grunted, feeling the load of what he guessed to be a ton of food and rolled his eyes at his Old man's gluttony. He sighed and hefted the plate over his head, smiling as he heard the thankful mummers of the waitresses as they sat on the floor, utterly exhausted. Ranma walked back, holding the large plate over him with a single hand and set it infront of Genma, who licked his lips.

Ranma gave him a blank stare as the long table began to creak and strain from all the weight it suffered. Genma stared back, grasping a piece of the long table with one hand and channeled Ki into. A purple glow enveloped the table and its struggles ceased.

"Old man, really?" Ranma said, leaning in and whispered a few, quick words in Genma's ear. The burly man didn't say anything, only grunted as he dug into Food Mountain. Ranma slapped him on the back and returned to his seat. He took note as a group of batarians, mixed in with a few turians entered in, one at a time, spreading themselves out as they took up empty tables.

As he passed by Buben, Ranma whispered, "I'll check and see what's up outside. You can handle these people here, right?" Buben didn't say anything, only nodded faintly.

Ranma smirked as his eyes darted over to the other members of his group, and found that they were all ready for a fire fight one way or the other. He yawned; stretching out his arms as he strode for the door out, thanking the waitresses for their services as he went by.

Ranma went out, turning left and followed by a group of armed mercenaries a few seconds later running past the door. And as they vanished from view Ryoga Hibiki came through the kitchen doors, scratching his head in confusion amidst the sudden yells and shrieks of chiefs and waitresses to get out.

Ryoga, ignoring them strode for the long table and tapped Genma's shoulder. The Saotome elder blinked, and turned around. He looked at Ryoga with food stained red cheeks and a brow covered in sweat.

"Yes?" Genma asked, after gulping down the steak in his mouth. A strange sense of familiarity overcame him as he stared at the muscular teenager infront of him. Genma silently approved of the way Ryoga dressed and the large camping pack he carried. It was practical and sensible, the way all travelers should be like.

"Umm… do you know where I am?" Ryoga asked, rummaging through his pockets and pulled out a folded, used map and pen.

"The Citadel, Zakera wards." Genma answered, blinking.

Ryoga smiled, nearly grinning and hastily stuffing his map and pen back into his pants. "Do you know where Ranma Saotome is?" Genma pointed out the door. Ryoga nodded, now grinning and rushed out, pumping his fist in the air in triumph.

"Ranma, just you wait! Here I come!"

Genma stared as Ryoga turned right as he exited out the tavern, and shrugged. Ranma can deal with his own problems.

Right now, he needed to eat!

* * *

"Blasto, do you know why your friend, Ranma has been ignoring me?" One of the Asari twins said, pouting as they stood beside the spectre.

"This one thinks that Ranma is just bored." Blasto answered, watching said person stalk out the door, yawning as he did and flashed the hanar a cocky smirk as he passed.

"Well, I think we can do something to alleviate his boredom." The twins said impishly at once, with sly smiles. They clasped their hands and pressedtheir bodies together as their eyes bore into Ranma, demanding for attention.

The ponytailed teen ignored it, not even shooting the twins a glance. The twins signed sadly as Ranma went out the tavern and turned back to Blasto, who stared at them with much appreciation.

"This one suggests you try harder. It is not certain why Ranma ignores fine asari such as yourselves, though it may have some guesses as to why." Blasto answered and paused, glowing dimly as it considering what it just said and gave it some thought. It continued after a few long seconds, humming as it did, "But in any case it is best to keep on trying. Being blunt and direct is the best way to get through to humans such as Ranma."

The asari twins nodded, drinking in the hanar's advice like fine wine.

"And once you have him pressed in-between your heavenly bodies, where he can't escape then…"

The twins leaned forward, straining their ears to hear Blasto's next words, blushing and giggling with hands pressed close to their lips.

"Enkindle him." Blasto finished and looked back and forth between them. It nodded, satisfied with its advice and glowed brightly as an idea popped up. "Might I have your number? This one has a fine idea, though it will need your help in doing so."

They did, before Blasto finished and the hanar quickly tapped it into its omnitool and exchanged a number of details as a plan laid itself infront of it. It thanked the twins for their time as they left, and exchanged goodbyes. Blasto looked back to his omnitool to check its messages and found one from the Council.

The spectre shut off his omnitool. It'll check it later, when it's in a more private, secure area.

Still humming to itself, Blasto shot a glance at Genma as a muscular human teen, a male dressed in strange clothing dashed straight out the door, screaming out Ranma's name. If the hanar had eyes, it would have blinked.

Blasto floated over to Genma, glowing curiously as the burly man started to eat one more. The hanar briefly paused to watch the insane sight as the mountain of food infront of Genma visibly shrunk with every passing second. And as the elder Saotome ate, Blasto for the life of it couldn't figure out where all the food went inside the human's body. It just vanished, as if Genma's stomach was black hole.

"Hello Genma, may this one ask you a few questions?" Blasto asked. Genma grunted as he swallowed his latest meal and watched as his eyes darted around the room. A quick, quiet, subtle glance.

"I know." Blasto answered.

Genma nodded and drained the rest of his root beer, slamming the mug on the table and wiping his foam and food covered mouth with his free hand. He stared at Blasto and crossed his arms.

"Well? What do you want to know?"

"How is it you managed to intake all that food, without getting fat? _At all_!?" Miranda loudly interrupted, before Blasto voice the same question as she stomped over to them.

"You're Australian are you not?" Genma asked, leaning forward as he stared off at nowhere in particular.

Miranda blinked. "…What does that have to do anything?"

"Just answered the question," Genma said, ignoring her question entirely as his brow furrowed with concentration.

"Fine, yes, yes I am one, technically." Miranda answered as Genma leaned back, smiling and evidently satisfied with her answer. She wondered what the heck was going through his mind and-

"It's nothing you needn't concern yourself with, girl." Genma answered, as if he knew what was going through Miranda's mind. She scowled and he chuckled and smirked.

"Girl, to answer your question I have a Natural Body. My body shape won't change. No matter how much I eat… unless I will it." He finished, digging out a piece of meat stuck his teeth with a toothpick that appeared out of nowhere into his hand.

"…That makes absolutely no sense. I want an explanation. Now!?" Miranda demanded with a glare. Genma only tilted his head side to side, thinking.

"…Well?"

"Hmph." He shrugged, raising his palms up as they glowed brilliantly with purple Ki, shooting sparks into the air. "It's Ki; I don't need to need to explain shit!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"This one thinks you might have broken her. Just look at how her eyebrow's twitching." Blasto commented, glowing brightly, amused by all this.

"…She is turning a bright shade of red…" Genma trailed off, and tilted his head over to Blasto. "Think she'll hiss steam out of her ears?"

"Is that a bet, Genma?"

"Yes, are you man enough to take it?"

Blasto stared at Miranda as she clenched and unclenched her hands. It felt a murderous rage boiled beneath her skin, and the hanar spectre ignored it entirely. It'd seen far better during killing intent its years of service as a spectre.

"Sure."

Genma slapped his hands together, and rubbed them as he grinned. "Excelle-"

Miranda Lawson leapt him, teeth bared, arms stretched out before her their hands forming claws to rend Genma limb from limb. She growled and the sound of it caused Genma to flinch as his hand blurred.

_Oh god, she sounds just like an enraged Honey Koala! _He thought, and stopped Miranda mid-leap as he pressed a finger against her forehead. She hung in the air, reaching for Genma futility as she clawed and bit at nothing but air. Her motions slowed as Miranda started blinking and snapped out of her anger. Her eyes darted between Genma and the floor in rapid motions, again and again for a number of seconds.

Miranda mouthed out a single word.

"_How?_"

Genma shrugged, raising a palm up as it glowed brilliantly with purple Ki, shooting sparks into the air. "Again, it's Ki; I don't need to need to explain-"

And then the tavern erupted into violence as heavy gunfire opened up outside.

* * *

"Sheesh, do you idiots even know how to aim?" Ranma Saotome said, in-between dodging fusillade of bullets that streaked towards him. "You people couldn't even hit the broadside of a barn!"

He smirked, chuckling to himself as he slowly walked towards the group of mercenaries from the dimly lit sidewalk. There were about six in all, all spread out across the middle of an intersection, nearly twenty meters away. A mixture of screams, curses, and gunfire were his answer as they adjusted their aim and fired again. Ranma dodged once more, seemingly teleporting five meters closer on the other side of the street, whistling a tune with a hand in his pocket, the other, loosely holding a short metal pole, glowing blue with Ki.

Ranma's speed was too fast for the group of mercenaries to track with mere mortal eyes. Every time they fired, they hit nothing but air and metal. The few that managed to find their target were blocked by Ranma's pole, much to the mercenaries' surprise. Nothing they did could stop their target from advancing and it flayed on their nerves as fear and nervousness crept in, further ruining their already bad aim.

As he advanced, Ranma's sharp ears overheard their frightened whispers as he tuned out the gunfire and curses. They called him monster, an inhuman beast, something that shouldn't exist! Ranma threw his head back, laughing as he appeared right in the center of their formation and attacked, tossing his pole behind him and spearing through a shotgun just as it was about to fire.

"Me… a monster, really?" Ranma sighed, shaking his head as he dashed from foe to foe. Arms blurring continuously as fists struck at shields, shattering them beneath his awesome strength and then at the right tip of their jaws. This time, he used a much weaker blow.

The light impact sends their brains slamming into the left brain wall as their helmet clad heads reeled back from the blow. The brain bounces back and just like a pinball game, their brains keep bumping side by side, giving them a heavy concussion. They fell, dropping to their knees, eyes spinning every which way with stars and lights flashing in and out and then darkness as unconsciousness takes them.

And as the last one dropped Ranma glanced around. "I'm no monster… it's just your all so weak." He muttered, sighing again. He walked around, collecting the mercenaries' guns and destroying them as he went.

"You know, I don't even compare big shots that live on Earth…" Ranma said as if there were people listening and not a bunch of unconscious bodies. "Not yet, of course but I'll get there. It's my goal." He added, snorting as he dragged all the bodies into one big pile. "And you people aren't helping one bit."

Ranma ran a hand through his hair as he tossed the last body into the pile and sighed once more. He turned his head as C-Sec response car's sirens blared off in the distance, rapidly closing in.

Ranma shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he stalked off back to the tavern, feeling a little hungry. And as he disappeared around the corner Ryoga Hibiki's head poked out the door of medical store the ponytailed teen just passed by. He searched rapidly in every direction as the rest of him strode out the door.

The lost boy scratched his head, frowning. "I just heard Ranma's voice right now! I know it! I'd recognize his cocky voice anywhere!" Ryoga paused as he saw the pile of unconscious bodies on the intersections corner to his left and walked over.

Reaching them, he knelt down and considered whether or not to wake them. He glanced over a shoulder, staring at the air and narrowed his eyes, focusing in on the sirens source. A number of sleek air-cars of blue and black raced in, straight at him. Biting his lip Ryoga went back to the pile of bodies, and sighed.

He rose. "I'd like to ask you guys questions about Ranma… but I don't want to deal with the law. Too much trouble," he shook his head and took off in a brisk run, heading north and followed his gut.

This is the direction, right where he needed to go. He was close, he knew it. Soon, he'll have his fight with Ranma. He was ready; no matter how strong the arrogant bastard was now he'd be no match for the sort of training Ryoga put himself through every day! Fighting planet Earth herself as she constantly tried to kill him.

And mastering a technique Chippers and the Geth thought up themselves while he was on their ship. They couldn't use it of course, but he could and Ryoga knew if he got off a single shot against Ranma, with his level of strength. Well…

The lost boy grinned as he turned a corner, chuckling darkly. He closed his eyes, vividly imagining his foot planted atop Ranma's chest as he laid on the battle scarred ground humbled and broken before Ryoga Hibiki as he stood proudly with a sun rising behind his back. And then, he'll-

"Who are you, human!? And what are… you… doing…" A voice shouted, rapidly dying down as Ryoga's eyes snapped open and he found himself in a clean, high-class office. A hooded alien stood in the center of the room, staring at him in open disbelief, and raised a shaky finger, pointing it at him.

Ryoga blinked, nervously scratching his head and gave Dorden, the salarian councilor an equally nervous smile.

"Ryoga Hibiki, sorry about this."

* * *

"So, did I miss anything?" Ranma Saotome asked casually as he strode into the tavern, hands stuffed within his pockets.

"My food!"

Ranma's head snapped over to the sounds source and found Genma on his knees, hands partially raised in the air with tears constantly running down his cheeks. He wept softly as he stared at the overturned long table; its bountiful contents were spilled all over the grey metal floor in a fine mess.

"My food!"

Ranma frowned, eyebrow twitching as his stomach grumbled. The moment he was hungry, was the moment all the food was ruined. Closing his eyes, Ranma breathed in deeply through his nose and let out a long sigh. He opened his eyes and looked around, ignoring his stomach as it voiced its complaints.

"My food!"

In the far corner of the circular room, Xen and Miranda both waved at him as they cautiously rose out of an overturned circular table they were using as their impromptu cover. Both had pistols in hand. Ranma nodded briefly and looked at the other end of the room to see Blasto and Buben interrogating an unarmored batarian. Said batarian was groaning in pain, clutching his right hand as it bleed from a bullet wound that bore straight into its palm. Ranma shivered, he could fit two fingers in there.

"My food!"

"At least he's alive, unlike a few other poor bastards." Ranma commented as he saw the batarian's other companions laid strewed over the tavern. He counted about eight corpses, either shot in the head, heart or mangled through biotic powers. A few had a mixture of both.

"My food!"

Including the batarian there were three more survivors, a trio of unconscious turians piled atop one another near Blasto and Buben. Their weapons, a mixture of pistols and sub-machine guns laid in another pile, on top a table placed in another corner of the room. Of the tavern staff or other occupants there were no sign, but Ranma guess they fled or hid.

"M-"

"Oh, shut it, Old man!" Ranma interrupted as he took off his black slipper and threw at Genma. It smacked right into his cheek, and sent him tumbling into the floor.

"My food!" Genma continued as if Ranma had never attacked him.

"Ugh, why do I even bother?" The ponytailed boy asked himself as he shoved his hands in his pockets again and stalked off towards Blasto and Buben, skipping over the growing piles of blood.

"Relieved: Welcome back Ranma, did you take care of the group that followed you?" Buben said without turning around, over the chocking sobs of the batarian as Blasto cocked both his pistols.

"Ya, C-Sec should be taking them into custody." Ranma tilted his head as he stared at the batarian with a small amount of pity and glanced at Blasto. "Has he talked?"

"This One is pleased to say yes. Though it did not get much, It has a feeling that the criminal scum is keeping some information from us." Blasto answered as the batarian prisoner stared at the spectre's two pistols as they drew a bit closer with all four eyes and swallowed, freezing in place.

"Huh, what'd you get out of him?" Ranma asked, frowning.

"Evidently, there's been a bounty placed on you and your father to be captured, alive. It was posted up yesterday. By who, it doesn't know but it will certainly find out." Blasto answered.

Ranma blinked for a few seconds as his tongue rolled in his mouth as he considered what to say next. He rubbed his chin. "Hmph… is it high?"

Blasto told him.

Ranma whistled. "Damn, that's high." He looked back at the batarian and jerked a thumb towards him. "I don't think he knows anything more."

"Supportive: I concur, Blasto cuff him and let C-Sec do the rest. You shot him once, isn't that enough? Besides we have better things to do." Buben said as C-Sec sirens made themselves.

"…" Blasto glowed darkly as it lowered its pistols.

"Disappointed Sigh: Damn it. Blasto, you forgot the cuffs again, didn't you?"

"Ranma, may you please knock the batarian scum ou-"

"Already done," Ranma said as his fist flashed and slammed into the batarian's face, shattering his nose as it sent him into a painful unconsciousness. The ponytailed boy's face wrinkled as he looked at his blooded fist and searched around for a napkin or something. As he did, Ranma asked, "What shall we do now?"

"Badassfully: We get to the bottom of this."

"But before that, This One has a meeting with the Council," Blasto said, glowing brightly as it checked its omnitool. "And Ranma, you and your father are invited to join…" The hanar paused.

"Curious: What for?" Buben asked as he moved closer towards Blasto as did Ranma, who wiped his hands with a white piece of cloth. Xen and Miranda came up from behind and stood close to Ranma.

Genma was still moaning about his food and thus ignored by all.

And Blasto shut off his omnitool before anyone could look at it and turned everyone as they gathered around the spectre. "Change of plans, Ranma, It requests you come with me with all due haste."

"Worried: What's the matter, Blasto?" Buben asked, stepping forward as C-Sec officers screamed out warnings and orders to stand down outside. Blasto quickly reactivated his omnitool and tapped a number of keys. A few seconds later the commotion outside died down.

Blasto stared back at them, glowing dimly. "This One will tell you later, Buben."

"Sigh: Damn it, just remember though. You promised."

Blasto nodded. "Ranma, let's depart from this place." The hanar finished, motioning the ponytailed teen to follow him as it floated towards the door as C-Sec officers carefully advanced in, muttering quiet curses as they took in the scene.

"…Will they be fine? Cause, you know high bounty and all." Ranma said as he followed the spectre out the door, looking back with a hint of worry.

"Buben will take them back over to C-Sec for now. They'll be safe there and your father is with them in any case, he won't let them come to harm." Blasto answered as it floated into an open C-Sec response air-car and started it up.

"I'll take your word for it." Ranma muttered, sliding into the passenger seat from the other side. The doors immediately shut in and the car took off into the air with a burst of speed, streaking into the sky as its sirens came on. Ranma gripped a handle above the door, not bothering to put on his seatbelt. "So, since we're alone, mind telling me whats up?"

A tentacle floated into his view and an orange, holographic interface encased it as Blasto's omnitool turned on. Another tentacle snaked in and started tapping keys. A picture appeared and Ranma felt a strange wave of deja vu as he stared at it.

"Ranma, This One asks, what do you know of the individual known as Ryoga Hibiki?"


End file.
